


Chōetsu

by CherryPanhel



Category: Naruto, Naruto (Anime) RPF
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Drinking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Naruto is Just Naruto, POV Hatake Kakashi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Hatake Kakashi, Sex, Strangers to Lovers, Trauma, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:34:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 26,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27045088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryPanhel/pseuds/CherryPanhel
Summary: Yokota Tsukiko has never failed a mission while working for ANBU. She goes into each battle with reckless abandon with only the mission in mind, never once thinking about herself. Her life takes a total 180-degree turn and she is assigned to the remaining members of Hatake Kakashi's Team 7 as extra protection for the Nine-Tails, not knowing that this team and their masked captain will change her life for the better.Kakashi x OC
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Hatake Kakashi/Original Female Character(s), Uzumaki Naruto/Other(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 62





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything from Naruto. I only own my character.

There he was again. Standing at the tombstone of those he lost. It wouldn’t be too long until he moved to the next stone. I saw him most mornings, looking pensive at the sky, his spikey silver greyish hair blowing in the wing. His posture was rigid as if he was doing everything he could to keep the weight of the world up. If I were to sneak up on him and blow too hard he would tumble.

I stood in the trees still in my ANBU gear and my mouse mask still on my face. I just got back from a mission involving a petty feudal lord and some threats against the Hokage. I felt every blow and block in my body and could imagine that I didn’t look the best under this mouse mask. All I wanted to do was pay my respects and crawl into my bed until I needed to report. I too had people I lost, people that meant the world to me that I couldn’t save. I closed my eyes and rubbed the pain the developed over my heart. The faces I loved flashed swiftly and in no order. A tear fell slowly and I was glad that my mask caught the single tear. The Shinobi finally turned to head to the next stone. His one eye that shown closed as if he was still in prayer. His other eye covered by his headband and face covered by his mask. I waited till he was completely out of my view before I jumped down and faced the one stone I would be seeing today.

“Hi, mom.”

I smiled and looked over her grave to see the beauty of the Hidden Leaf Village. The green leaves shining and shaking in the wind. The multi-colored roofs starting to feel the heat of the rising sun. The wind caressed my blonde hair as if it was my mother.

“Another successful mission, and this time I don’t think I broke any bones.”

Chuckling at the thought of my mom rolling her eyes at me. It wasn’t my fault in my genin days that I would break a bone or two on a mission. I was hell on wheels and always wanted to get in on the action. All I could do was sit in silence. Exhaustion was taking over and my chakra was low. I needed sleep and to eat.

“I’m doing okay mom. I have a job that pays well and I have a purpose. You don’t have to worry about me.”

In my mind’s eye I could see her worried about me and knowing her well she would ask if I had anyone to lean on, a support system. To her being a single entity in a world so big was unhealthy and could cause more harm than good. But in this life where each day could be my last and after living this life where I have seen people live their last day, I decided to not cause more injury to myself or to others. Being a single entity is how I survive. I turned to leave and to go home to the ANBU block. The city was going to start waking up and I wanted to be asleep before then. Walking down the rows and out into the street, I saw the shinobi from before staring at the stone depicting names of shinobi lost in the Third Great Ninja War. He must have heard me walking and turned his head towards me. His dark eye was looking at me but his mind elsewhere. I nodded my head in acknowledgment and continued the walk home. The walk was peaceful in the morning sun. The sounds of shops opening up for the day was pleasant and brought a sense of peace. I fought for the village and for it to be thriving brought me purpose.

I took my mask off and hid it under my cloak and walked into the bakery near the ANBU block. I am too lazy to cook and bread and cheese could last me the day until I was rested enough to go shopping. The baker came out from the back and saw me.

“Yokota-Chun! Back already? It’s good to see you!”

The baker was a plump old man with laugh and smile lines decorating his face. He was always smiling and never failed to cheer up anyone. He became someone constant in my life, I was probably his biggest customers. His buttery bread was enough to make anyone obese and it tasted like heaven on a plate. I smiled, muscles on my face hurting from the action I only seemed to do in front of this man.

“Oi Takayama-san. I just got back from a long mission and have been craving your butter bread and some cheese.”

He packed up a quick bag for me and handed it to me. I reached to pay and he smiled at me.

“It’s on me today. You go rest. Gods know you pay for so much of my goods that I want to give this one for free.”

“But-”

“But nothing, go rest Yokota-Chun,” he said.

I smiled and thanked the man and headed to bed. Opening the door to my apartment I put my goods in the kitchen and shuffled my bare feet to the shower. Taking off my ANBU clothes and tossing them in the corner to be dealt with later, I stepped into the hot water and watched the dirty circle the drain. I took my hair out of the half bun I keep it and started scrubbing my scalp, my skin pinking up due to the boiling temperature I keep the water at. It was nice to feel warm and not being in the elements for once. Stepping out of the shower, I placed my hand against the mirror to wipe away the steam. Long lashes that covered green eyes and a pale complexion on an oval face greeted me. Wet hair that circled around my waist that had turned dark blonde with the water. Finding a man to keep me warm wasn’t the problem. I knew that I wouldn’t have any problems finding a man or a woman, I was decently attractive looking, it was getting to know them and then them getting killed that put me off. I was better by myself and it was better to be numb than to have all emotions choke me at once. Sighing at my face, I stepped out of the bathroom and put on a pair of boy short panties and a large T-shirt and promptly but temporarily joined the sleeping world.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_The ground was shaking, bodies were piling up. It was dark but the moonlight showed that the ground was red and soaked with blood. My entire company was almost dead. The Hidden Stone was throwing everything they had and we walked into a trap. There was no intelligence about this situation. I fought with everything I had, but my chakra was almost gone and I had broken my left shoulder by blocking a boulder that tried to hit my teammate Kondo._

_“Yokota! Watch out!”_

_I turned and met the Kunai with my katana. Forcing what Chakra I had left into the blade, I disarmed the man and went for his throat. He caught the katana with his other hand, causing it to bleed. He smiled and I saw his other hand go for my throat. In a scream that wasn’t human, I went for his throat with what I had left, which was my teeth. The Stone Shinobi was shocked and tried to fight me but I had ripped out his jugular and he tumbled to the ground, bleeding from his throat. His blood was salty and I spit out what I could._

_“Yoko…”_

_I turned to Kondo who was fighting another Stone Shinobi and saw him on his knees with a Kunai to his throat._

_“KONDO.”_

_The Stone Shinobi cut his throat with a smile and I saw my team member and childhood love die right in front of me. I was the last one standing from my company. A dark rage came over me and I don’t remember what came next. I opened my eyes to see that I was lying near Kondo and saw he still had light in his eyes. He looked at me and had so much admiration and love in his eyes for me and how he was proud of me. I tried to crawl to him but whatever I did in my blackout state had rendered me immobile._

_“Kondo… I’m so sorry I didn’t protect you. Forgive me. I love you.”_

_He couldn’t talk but his eyes told me everything. He wasn’t mad or upset. For a while, I just looked at him and cried. I tried to look around me to see if help could come and save Kondo if he was still blinking but it was just us. I turned back to look at Kondo and the light in his eyes was gone. He was gone. The tears came harder now. The boy who protected me in the village I was growing up was dead. I couldn’t protect him and now he was dead. He was dead. Dead. I couldn’t move and all of a sudden darkness took me away. I must have passed out for only a bit. When I woke up I could hear the bushes near the forest move. I opened my eyes and saw a Stone Shinobi walk towards me. Fear rose up. He can’t know I’m alive. But somehow he did. His eyes found mine and he stalked over to me with a Kunai to kill me. A mercy kill. He knew I wasn’t able to go anywhere. I closed my eyes and hoped it was quick. Suddenly I only smell ozone and feel every hair on my skin prickle up. The Stone Shinobi screamed and when I moved my head all I could see was Kakashi Hatake with his grey hair and dark eye have his hand in the man's chest. Once the Stone Shinobi was dead Kakashi picked me up and started running towards a med camp._

_“Anyone else alive?”_

_I shook my head and passed out in the jonin’s arms._


	2. Two

I woke up screaming and grabbing the Kunai under my pillow. Realizing that I was safe. That it was just a nightmare.

I was sweating profusely and my breath came out in pants. I stood up shaking and went to the kitchen for a swing of sake. It was the only thing that worked to calm the nerves in my body and to numb the head. The alcohol ran through my body quickly as being a kunoichi with no food in her system, I felt it fast. It has been 18 years since that war. I was safe. Kundo was dead.

Flinching at the thought of Kundo I chugged some more sake. Seeing Kakashi’s eye must of drug that memory up. Feeling its effects, I stumbled to my kitchen table to the bread. I ate very little. Just to soak up enough to keep me from vomiting later. Looking at the clock, I saw it was 10:30 am.

_Wow_ , I thought. _3 whole hours of sleep, more than I usually get. I might as well report to Hokage-sama and get the rest of my day going._

Grabbing the clean ANBU uniform from my closet, I quickly got changed and brushed my teeth. The sake helped the shakes and I was able to get done quickly. I looked in the mirror and saw my face with the prominent bags under my eyes. I quickly brought up two fingers and a closed fist to my face and used a jutsu that took away the ragged appearance. The last thing I needed was the Hokage to put me in therapy again because I wasn’t taking care of myself.

Leaving my apartment, I walked through the bustling streets and made it to the Hokage’s office. Knocking on her door, I waited for her to let me in.

“Ah, Yokota Tsukiko. Welcome back. I’m sure all has been well?”

I looked at the Hokage. She was beautiful and a badass kunoichi who gave hope to all-female ninjas that you could be badass, beautiful, and a leader. Tsunade Senju was a Hokage that I took pride in working for. She tried to better the village and to fix so many wrongs. There was also the part in which she and I were distant cousins. Apparently, a Senju and a Tsukiko thought to get it on and have a couple of generations of kids. Which ended with me, there was no one else. We both had the same hair color and sometimes our eyes would be the same color. I call it mood eyes when they changed, she called it the mirror to my soul.

“Yes, Hokage-sama. There will be no further trouble”

She sighed, knowing that even though she allowed me to call her by her name that I wasn’t going to.

“Good, I’m glad. I want to also talk to you about something else.”

I looked at her expecting to hear more but she just kept looking at me. Eventually, she groaned and mumbled something about a disrespectful little shit.

“Obviously you do a good job at ANBU.” She started. “However, there is something I need you to do outside of ANBU. In fact, I’m discharging you from ANBU as of today.”

I stared. “Why am I being discharged. There are plenty of times you pull one of us out for a mission and then we go back in once it’s done.”

She looked at me with worry in her eyes. “You’ve been in ANBU since you were 15 and became a jonin. You’ve had no life and you need to learn about the world –“

“I’ve learned plenty about the world Hokage-sama. It’s a horrible place and I must do what I can to protect the village that I live in.”

She glared at me for interrupting. “Look. You’re not an emotionless killing machine. War turned you and I am sorry for that. It’s not only that I feel that you’ve served your time but there is also a reason I need you out of ANBU and to be a jonin member on Kakashi Hatake’s Team.”

“Not only are you pulling me out of a job I enjoy but you’re making me a student again?!” I looked at her with so much confusion.

“You are not his student. In fact, you two are equals. Both of you have been able to master all 5 chakra natures and in Yin and Yang release. What the difference is the Sharingan and your ability. I need you not to be his student but to be another layer of protection for Naruto Uzumaki. The Akatsuki are collecting tailed beasts and with Naruto having the 9 tails, I want him guarded. I feel that you and Kakashi are suited for each other in terms of protecting Naruto, both being jonin and having such great mastery. You even might bring some valuable training to Naruto that others’ can’t.”

There was a knock on the door and Kakashi Hatake entered.

Tsunade glared at him and continued on. “Kakashi has already been briefed and knows that you are to be a willing partner and team member. You will join the team on missions and assist Naruto with whatever he needs.”

I was unhappy. Not only was I a glorified babysitting for Naruto to protect the 9 tails, but I also had to be partnered with Kakashi who was a renowned porn reader and the man who set off my nightmare this morning.

“I understand Hokage-sama.”

Kakashi looked at me and at the Hokage. Nodding his head in agreement. “We will be meeting at training field 3 at noon. You might want to change from ANBU to jonin clothes so you fit in.”

I bristled at his comment. I turned to him and looked into the dark eye.

“As I recall Kakashi-san, you only got into “jonin clothes” not too long ago, if someone like you can adapt it must be easy.”

I walked out of the room without being dismissed. I had no previous issues with Kakashi but him commenting on my dress and with the sudden change in careers and with the recent nightmare I had just set me over. I’ll have to apologize but that can be done later.

I got to my apartment and slowly put my ANBU clothes into a chest. It was a good 13 years in ANBU and I’ll miss it dearly. I faced my closet to see what my new outfit should be.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi faced the Hokage and raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t plan on angering her that quickly, usually I wait till sparring to anger people.”

Tsunade sighed. Her cousin had trauma but they all had some. She understood that hers ran a little deeper with her ability but she needed to learn to live. She looked at the man in front of her. He got out of ANBU and while he carried some deep trauma, he has come so far from that shell of a shinobi he was. Maybe he could guide her. Maybe they both could step towards the light together. It is hard to heal from something without a support system and with those two being as anti-social as they were, maybe they would help each other.

“She just had her entire life changed in a matter of minutes. Give her time.”

Kakashi nodded and walked towards his two students at field 3.


	3. Three

It’s been 13 years since she wore anything that wasn’t ANBU. Yokota decided to make sure that she was able to move freely and still have enough room for my equipment. She decided on the traditional jonin green pants and belt. There was enough pockets for paper bombs, scrolls, and weapons in those pockets as well as the weapon bags she attached. The top was difficult. From what she could remember she hated the vest, feeling bulky and unable to move. She was already wearing a black sports bra that held her breasts just fine and gave the right amount of support. Seeing her black fishnet top she put it on. It came to her belly button and showed the delicate piercing she had there. The sleeves came to her wrist and she put on the black gloves with the plates. This helped a lot when battling close combat and could save her hands. 

Satisfied with what she saw, Yokota began to tap my ankles and wrists up, also wrapped tape around her left leg has it brought support to the leg. Getting stabbed there when she was young had left a lasting impression. Placing her headband on to hook behind her ears and looked in the mirror. 

I looked badass. The shirt outlined her curves and her breasts showing cleavage but that she was still a killing machine. Her scars from past battles could be glimpsed at underneath the shirt to show that she have battled and came out of it. She was not to be fucked with. Her ears showcased 10 piercings I’ve gotten over the years and she liked it. 

Walking to the kitchen to see the sake bottle still there. Picking it up she noticed there was only a good chug left. Knowing that Kakashi would be there and the fact she had to get to know people, she finished the bottle. Taking some cheese and eating it should cover the sake smell. 

Can’t be doing much of that anymore. Kakashi and his nose will pick it up.  
The smell will be gone by the time I get to the training field because of the chakra she was allowing out but she shouldn’t be smelling of sake after another 20 minutes.  
Sighing, I put my sandals on and walked out the door to be the newest member of team 7.

Yokota got to the training field to only see Naruto and a pink-headed girl there. Not wanting to wait for an awkward introduction without Mr. Team Capitan there, I used a transportation jutsu to stand on the tree branch and pulled in my chakra to be unnoticed in the field to study my new teammates.

Naruto was trying to act cool and show off for the pink-headed girl, telling her about his recent travels and training. Yokota heard the name Sakura said and understood that she was the team member that was the most normal. She wasn’t an Uchiha hell-bent on revenge or holding a tailed beast in her belly. Yokota smelled the chakra that the two were giving off. Sakura’s smelled clean and had a tinge of cherry to it, it gave a healing feeling. Naruto’s on the other hand was strange. She smelled his own which had a scent of sunshine and spring leaves blooming, elements of forest were peeking through. Once she distinguished that she also smelled a layer that was dangerous. It smelled of fire and destruction.

_The Nine-tails._

I had no issue with Naruto, in fact from when I would see him in the village, he was just trying to fit in and be a normal kid. My issue was with the Nine tails, the creature that killed several comrades and my parents. I’ll make sure the Nine-tails knows not to fuck with me.

Still feeling a small buzz from the sake lunch she had, she wondered when the Copy-cat ninja would decide to show up. Leaning her head against the tree she was standing against and continued watching the kids.

The only warning I had that he arrived was the rustle of leaves behind her. The next thing she knew, her cheek was in the bark of the tree and her arms were caught in his hands. He was pushing Yokota's body with enough force into the tree that told her not to try and fight him. But with being in ANBU, she wasn’t going to listen. Releasing some chakra behind me to let him know that she was not going to be subjected to this.

“Reign it in. You and I need to have a chat about this smell on you and I don’t think you want those two to know about it this early on” He hissed.

She was shocked. The smell was gone since arriving.

_Fucking Kakashi_

Sher reigned her chakra in and Kakashi flipped her to face him and put a leg between mine and an arm against her chest to keep me there. Yokota was about to protest, about to say she wouldn’t cause a scene because he was right. She didn’t want the two young ninjas to know and today was the first time in a while she had resorted to that. It was Kakashi’s fault, she saw him this morning, and seeing that eye caused my nightmare. Yokota wasn’t going to allow it to continue. She opened her mouth to speak and before she could say anything, he moved his head to smell my neck.

Yokota was fully aware of how close she was to this man. Their bodies were pressed together and he was _all_ man. His hard chest was against hers as his hand had moved from her chest to move her head to the side for easier access to Yokota's neck. He was pure muscle. His other hand was pressed hard against her hip to let me know that he could shove me through this tree if he wanted to.

Kakashi was tall for a shinobi but so was she. But he still toward a head above her. He used the leg that was in between hers to separate them further to keep her from getting a good stance in case she was going to fight back.

Being this close to Kakashi, she also smelled his chakra. He smelled of mint and of a lightning storm. There was an undertone of darkness and danger that surrounded me. It was intoxicating. Yokota never called a chakra presence intoxicating but his was. It brought a shiver to her spine.

He finally raised his head from her neck and looked at her eyes, his Sharingan out from behind his headband, his eyes reading my face and showing concern and anger. There was something else in his eyes but she couldn’t put my finger on it. She opened her mouth to speak but he beat me to it.

“I am no stranger to the fact that life changes and that sometimes the trauma we have can be had to deal with. In fact, the entire village knows the dirty laundry of my past. Several shinobi that I work with know my trauma and have tried to step in to help me. I resented it at the time but in the end, it helped. There are people to help not the bottom of a sake bottle.”

His hand on her waist started to loosen up. His thumb was subconsciously rubbing the scar she got there from a kunai knife. Her face started to pink up as it was hard to ignore the touch of his calloused finger.

“I have my own vices. I am not perfect. But I have my team to think about and as their Capitan, I will not tolerate anything that will harm them or put them in harm's way. Understood?”

Yokota just nodded. SHe didn’t want to indulge this man with her sob story. She would handle it herself and didn’t need his uptight ass bothering her.

“Good, now let’s get the introductions done.”

\------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi:

He got to the field late as usual. The bookstore was supposed to get the new Make Out Paradise books this week and he wore out all of my copies and needed new material. He scanned the training field before he let Naruto and Sakura see him and noticed a very faint chakra presence in the tree line.

_That has to be the new girl._

Kakashi teleported to the tree far enough behind her and masked his presence, noticing that she was leaning against the tree watching his team members. He was able to look her over without being noticed. She was a thin creature. Her curves were there but she had definitely was not eating enough for a kunoichi.

The wind shifted and brought her scent to him. She smelled of fresh clothes and of lilacs, but there was a small undertone of alcohol that he barely caught on. His eyes widen and narrow.

_She was drinking right before this._

It was a hard life that a shinobi lived. Kakashi had his own vices that he used to numb the pain but when he was working he focused on working. Naruto and Sakura put a lot of trust into him and he wanted to make sure that they could rely on him. But to drink right before a training session was something he couldn’t forgive.

He jumped from the tree to be right behind her and quickly pushed her into the tree, grabbing her wrists to be ironclad in his hand and allowing her no movement. She released chakra to try and scare me off. It was cute that she thought she could scare me off. It took a very powerful shinobi to scare Kakashi. He didn’t know her strengths and her abilities but with him having her immobile gave a pretty good idea that he had the upper hand.

“Reign it in. You and I need to have a chat about this smell on you and I don’t think you want those two to know about it this early on” He hissed.

She seemed to understand that if the two on the training field were to find out about this smell then there would be automatic distrust in her. He flipped her over so that he could see her face. She was pretty. Dark green eyes with extremely long and thick lashes, lips that were full but chapped, her pale skin showing a slight blush from being caught – or from something that he smelled faintly that surprised him.

Her body was reacting to the stance that they were in. She might not even realize that her body was reacting to the very intimate distance that Kakashi had placed them in. Her eyes showed disappointment in herself for getting caught as well as anger at being pinned down by him.

_Interesting._

He could feel her body heat as well and his body was starting to react as well. This was bad. She was supposed to be a teammate. Not someone he was going to peruse anything else. He was usually good at keeping his hormones in line and masking them. He used his chakra to keep that part of himself hidden, allowing her to smell my chakra, might as well get aquatinted now.

His hand at her hip that was supposed to be there as a reminder that he could shove her through the tree with ease betrayed him. His thumb found a scar that she had to have gotten in battle and started to caress it. He looked at her with mild surprise that his finely controlled body would act against him to caress her. He let himself a couple of more strokes before he forced his body to listen. Her skin was soft, not as all tough that he expected from a shinobi. Her scar was smooth and slightly raised and was driving him crazy.

_I wonder what other scars she has_

Realizing the thought he had, he pushed everything about her body that interested him to a box in the corner of his mind and sealed it, making sure he never opened it again. Remembering the issue at hand he opened his mouth to speak.

“I am no stranger to the fact that life changes and that sometimes the trauma we have can be had to deal with. In fact, the entire village knows the dirty laundry of my past. Several shinobi that I work with know my trauma and have tried to step in to help me. I resented it at the time but in the end, it helped. There are people to help not the bottom of a sake bottle.”

He meant every word and hoped that she realized the severity of the situation. If she didn’t stop he would have to report her, would be a shame since her file said she could be very beneficial to the team.

_Beneficial in other ways too._

He was really going to have to shut up his subconscious if this was going to work. He might have to find Might Guy to spar with to get these inappropriate thoughts out of his head.

Seeing that she understood and what looked like agreement in her eyes, he let her go.

“Good, now let’s get the introductions done.”


	4. Four

Kakashi and I jumped out of the tree to land in front of Sakura and Naruto. The two young shinobi didn’t even look surprised, as if Kakashi had a tendency to appearing suddenly. He smiled at the two young brats while I kept my face neutral.

“Kids, this is Yokota. She is joining the team and she is a jonin as well, so play nice and make her feel welcomed.”

I raised an eyebrow at Kakashi, he seemed to take on the Sensei/father role for these kids and took pride in that fact. I watched Kakashi get closer to the kids to give hair ruffles and smiles.

_That’s a man who cares deeply about those he protects_

Kakashi turned his head to me and motioned me to say something about myself. I grimaced. That means getting closer to people and that could mean forming at-risk relationships.

“As Kakashi said, I’m Yokota. I’ve been a kunoichi longer than you both have been alive and I have seen many battles and fought in the 3rd shinobi war.”

I kept it short and simple. Enough for them to know that I was very competent in my job and that I should not be messed with. Something was wrong with these kids because they started spouting questions.

“I’ve never seen you before – “ Naruto said as he squinted his ocean blue eyes at me confused.

“Do you specialize in any –“ Sakura cocked her head to the side and used her green eyes to try and perform an assessment on me, seeing what skills I brought to the team.

I was not about to answer questions that would invite them to know me more intimately. Instead, I would show them my skills. As Naruto and Sakura kept asking questions, I reached behind to my weapons bag and silently brought out a kunai. I looked over to the silver-haired asshole and planned to get some sort of revenge for earlier. Call me petty but that man had really ticked me off and I plan to even out the score, and maybe part of me wanting to show him what I could do. If I make him bleed it’s just an added bonus.

With a flick of my wrist, I sent the kunai flying and aimed it at his pervy book, hoping that he wouldn’t be able to dodge it. Kakashi was not happy, to say the least. The kunai was lodged about halfway in that book. He looked up at me with that one dark eye and I felt the anger roll towards me.

_Bring it on, Sparky._

I could hear Naruto behind me move in front of Sakura.

“Hey! What the hell are you trying to do here?!” Naruto said with his eyes wide open.

“Consider this my audition,” I said as I started stalking towards Kakashi, ready to fight and give back some embarrassment that Kakashi had caused me earlier. He had put the book back in his bag, holding the kunai that dared to pierce his precious porn. He knew what I was doing and I was hoping that he would fight me like it was a duel to the death. This day was in the top ten worst days I’ve had and this man in front of me was a huge cause of it, and I wanted to take it out on him.

I grabbed a handful more of kunai, a couple with paper bombs attached. I threw the regular kunai at Kakashi and he dodged them all, the kunai falling around the field.

_Good._

While he was distracted I made a couple of shadow clones and used one of my earth style jutsu to hide them in the ground below. If I could get Kakashi disarmed and admit defeat in 15 minutes, it would be a win. Throwing the last two kunai with paper bombs attached, Kakashi flipped and jumped out of the blast zone. Once the smoke was cleared, I saw him stand up and face me with murderous intent visible in his eye. I smiled, knowing I had pissed off the great copy ninja.

I started to run towards my target. Kakashi had braced himself to greet my attack. I began throwing kicks and punches at him and Kakashi would block them and attack me as well. We moved in a circle, occasionally having to jump and flip out of the way. The way we were moving was intimate, almost as if we were dancing. He met my attacks as if expecting them and knew what counterattack to do, but I have been fighting for just as long as him so we were equal in hand to hand. It was getting monotonous and I could see him plan something in that eye. I knew if I was going to win I would have to let him pin me down so my shadow clones could come out to the ground and surprise him.

Kakashi swung his leg out and I let him sweep my legs from underneath me. I threw a half-assed punch his way as I was hitting the ground and I saw his eye look surprised that I got hit. He jumped after me and placed his kunai against my throat. We ended up in a compromising position, him sitting on me with his legs on either side of my waist. His eyebrow twitched and was about to speak when my shadow clones came through the ground with such force it shook the ground. Both of the clones came and knocked him off of me by landing a double punch, one on his chin and one at his chest. The three of them landed with Kakashi laying on his back and both shadow clones holding an arm down to that he could barely move.

I jumped from the prone position to land with my feet on either side of his waist and my katana at his throat, dispersing my shadow clones. Kakashi seemed impressed but there was something in his eye that made my stomach flutter. How could this man look the way he did when fighting? His silver hair moved with the slight wind and his skin tanned by being in the sun for so many hours. Kakashi looked relax and at peace with the position that he was in. His one eye traveled up my leg to my waist then chest and finally stopped at my eyes, I was frozen for his gaze was intoxicating.

Suddenly, Kakashi was no longer in between my legs. A small portion of trunk laid where he did and I felt his chakra before I felt his presence. A kunai was back near my throat as Kakashi had his chest up against my back and his right arm around my neck, a kunai poised between his fingers pointed at my neck. I knew it wasn’t the correct reaction to have but a shiver went through my body at his close proximity and I knew he felt it.

_Bastard is doing it on purpose, there is no need to stand this close to someone during a spar._

“For fighting one of my clones, you did very well. It is not easy to catch me by surprise.”

I ground my teeth at his statement. I was better than this and should have known the difference between the real thing and a clone, there was something off about me and it had to be the combination of reliving an old habit of mine and this man. I was an ANBU and one of the top kunoichi in the village.

_Apparently, that is thrown out and my panties get in a twist when I have to do anything involving this man._

My frown got deeper. I needed to get away from Kakashi. “Are you going to let me go or do you want to lecture me from my back Kakashi-senpai?”

I felt his posture become rigid when I said his name. He got even closer and I felt his breath right on my ear.

“If you wanted to prove your abilities there are many ways to do that. You could have even asked me to spar instead of coming at me out of nowhere. Those two are my students and I will continue to show them why I was placed as their sensei. Not to brag, but I do have some quite impressive nicknames and there are reasons why I got them.”

His breath started to travel from my ear to my shoulder.

“I will give you today to get your actions in line. I understand wanting to prove yourself to me after I caught you, you fought well and I can definitely use your abilities. However, attack me without invitation again and I will make sure you pay a punishment.”

A shudder went through my body again, why did the man have to phrase it in a way that seemed like I would enjoy his idea of punishment?

_Get your act together, he probably means reporting you for your one slip up in years._

I bit back a groan. It was most likely my hormones running wild after having some sort of physical contact with a man and getting laid would fix it. I had to get my actions in line like Kakashi said or it could spell trouble for me. I heard Kakashi’s breathe pick up a bit. I was too curious about what this man was thinking.

He stepped back finally and when I turned around I saw him look to Sakura and Naruto.

“That is it for today. I hope she answered whatever questions you had for her with that little performance. I will see everyone back here tomorrow and we will set out on a teambuilding mission that Lady Hokage has given us. We leave mid-morning tomorrow.”

After he was done speaking, there was only a puff of smoke where he stood. I stared at the area and looked at Sakura and Naruto to see them walk away, Naruto looked back at me with a sparkle in his eye as if he had something planned and he waved. “See you tomorrow Yokota-sensei!”

Sighing, I weaved a sign to teleport back to my apartment, choosing to expend chakra to fall asleep faster than to walk back to my apartment. Landing in my bedroom, I laid down on the bed and tried to shut my brain off from thinking about that damn silver-haired ninja who frustrated the ever-loving shit out of me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I understand the POV tenses change a lot. I was playing around with it and I think I finally found my groove. When I find the time I will go back to old chapters and fix them. Thank you for reading!


	5. Five

Tossing and turning in bed, sleep invaded me. I ended up laying on my back to look at the plain ceiling. There was a mission tomorrow and I knew I should try to sleep but my mind was wired about stupid Kakashi. A man has never gotten me that worked up, not even when fighting enemy shinobi who liked to run their mouths with profanity. The men I fought would try to scare me by telling me what they would do to me when they finally got ahold of me, usually of the vulgar type that involved spreading my legs. No man has ever been able to do that while fighting me, I always won the fight and only those I allowed are able to get between my thighs.

I tried to remember the last time I had gotten laid. It had to be before my last mission with the ANBU and it wasn’t anything to write about. That’s probably why I was so frustrated, all I remember was the man grunting above me and finishing in literal seconds. He had no care about my needs and left right after he finished.

_I wonder if Kakashi is any good_

Groaning and shoving my hands against my eyes I got up and walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. Looking at the clock on the wall I saw it was about 4 in the morning. I really spent 8 hours tossing and turning in bed. There was no point in waiting around for midmorning, I should visit some old friends.

Going back to my bedroom, I packed enough clothes and weapons for at least a week's journey. Kakashi did not tell us how long the mission was going to be but extra clothing would be necessary in any situation. Packing all the clothes with the weapons and a first aid kit, I was ready to go. I stuffed my pockets with food pills, weapons, and paper bombs rather than being safe than sorry with packing. I changed back into my clothes and headed out the door.

Walking out of my apartment, there was no one in the street. The sun started peaking over the ridge and gave a little light to walk by. The air was chilled but was the kind of chill that surrounded you and reminded you of how alone you were. There was no one around me to shoulder the cold with and it was a stinging reminder of the life I chose.

I walked toward the cemetery to talk with someone I cared so deeply about but left this world to join the next.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kondo did not get a headstone. His name was on the giant memorial stone, as his body was unable to be brought back. The pain still stung my heart that I was the only one to survive that attack and I lost my best friend and childhood love. Kondo was gentle for a shinobi. He always smiled and resented battle, but he would fight when he needed to. His free spirit and ability to always see the good in every single person. Hell, he even sought the good in the enemy we were fighting.

He was the complete opposite of me. I was sedentary in my life in the regard that I understood my purpose in life was to be a killing machine for the village. I thought the worst in people and never gave them a chance but Kondo was one of the few to break my walls. He would drag me out for training or to play. He would make me laugh by doing the stupidest things, he always was looking at ways to make me happy. I fell in love with him. It was a child love, one that was mostly a crush but planted fragile seeds that there was hope for me to become someone who felt, not someone who crushed emotions once they appeared. I always wondered how our lives would be if he lived to see his late 20s like I am. Maybe we would be married and in love, however, I would never know what his feelings were for me. He died warning me of an enemy trying to kill me. Those fragile seeds that he planted inside me would never bloom.

The sun was starting to show its full brightness. I turned my head toward the sun to feel its warm rays on my face, it felt like a caress from Kondo, like he was still watching me. My lips lifted into a small smile without thinking.

“So she can smile.”

My body acted on its own and threw a Kunai at the voice. The voice moved to be behind me and grabbed my arms to prevent me from attacking or making a move. I started gathering chakra to throw him off when he spoke again.

“And she still holds violent tendencies toward me, I’m flattered.”

Realizing that my enemy was Kakashi, I stopped trying to fight him.

“You can let me go now, I’ll keep my murderous tendencies to a minimum now”

I started to step out of his arms when said arms contracted and brought me closer to his body. I felt every tendon and muscles in his arms and ground my teeth at the contact.

“You looked like you needed comfort, I don’t know any others who visit the stone at 5 in the morning. Usually, I am the only here.”

I rolled my eyes and tried again to move out of his arms. The situation was making me uncomfortable, I could feel his body heat and my body was a little too receptive about it.

“For being an amazing ex-ANBU member, Kakashi-sama, you should sense that I sit in the trees waiting for you to leave so that I can pay my respects in peace and leave you to yours in peace as well.”

“I am fully aware of you in the trees, I appreciate the space you give me. You are also ex-ANBU so you try to hide in the trees from me. I’ve watched you pay respect from the trees as well but you think me to be too honorable to leave without watching the person who watches me. I’m flattered by the attention.”

I could hear the smirk in his voice and it just pissed me off. I tried harder to get out of his arms and started to gather chakra to burst out of his arms. At the moment he sensed me building chakra, he let go.

“I apologize for holding you, you were shivering quite noticeably and didn’t bring better clothes”

I saw him look me up and down his eyes taking their time over my fishnet top and sports bra. Heat started collecting in my abdomen. He continued on.

“I told you once, I understand the pain of losing so many close people to me. It keeps me up at night and I spend a lot of my time in this cemetery talking to those who have passed. I was a shell of a person and my friends and team have helped me step into the light. I am in no way healed and I do not think I will ever be completely healed but I’ve learned that the life of a shinobi does not need to be a lonely one.”

I just looked at him. Kakashi was a perceptive man if Tsunade didn’t tell him about my past. I really did not know what to say to him except for “Ok.”

He sighed and looked at me as if I was a complex puzzle. I shuffled my feet and looked at the stone under his intense gaze, I never backed down from anything but something about Kakashi brought a more timid nature about me and I hated it.

“Yokota, it is just you and I on this mission, a team-building one between jonin. We can’t be fighting each other every time we meet. We need to have trust and instead of doing that in the village walls where there are watchful eyes of people we know, we are going to collect intel on a few possible Akatsuki hideouts and hopefully some on members. We will be killing two birds with one stone.”

He held up two fingers.

“If you’re ready to leave now let’s go. The dead will still be here when we get back and if the worst happens to us and we die, then we just get to see our loved ones sooner.”

I snapped my eyes to look at his. His one visible eye looked sad and I can only imagine that mine looked the same. Grabbing my bag, I nodded.

“Let’s go.”

As we turned to walk out of the cemetery gates the air between us was changing, and Kakashi was starting to feel less like a comrade, and it scared the ever-loving god out of me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I finished Shippuden and was in a deep anime hangover. It was hard to come up with a chapter so this might seem like a building chapter. I am so grateful for everyone reading my story and I hope everyone is enjoying it. I apologize for the grammar and just the overall writing mechanics, it wasn't my strong suit in school lol. 
> 
> I also might try to post again today since the words seem to be flowing better today.


	6. Six

Apparently, this mission did not have a hard timeline. Kakashi and I were walking leisurely through the forest like we had all the time in the world. Tsunade told me very little about my involvement with Team 7. I was to ensure the safety of Naruto from the Akatsuki and yet here I was in the forest with only Kakashi, walking in a general direction of where he heard there was a sighting of a couple of Akatsuki members.

I looked over at Kakashi, his nose in that damn orange book, and felt the overwhelming urge to yank the book out of his hands and toss it to the woods. I held back though, he was right, every time we had an interaction it usually started with violence. If we were to work together then I would need to stop acting violently towards the man. The orange book looked new though, I guess he had to replace the old one since I most likely damaged half of the book with the kunai I threw. The fact that I caused this man some trouble did lighten my spirits a bit.

I was curious about Naruto and Sakura. Kakashi had told all of us to meet to go on a mission.

“Kakashi-sama.”

He put his book down as he cleared his throat as if the comment bothered him in away.

“Yes?”

“What about Naruto and Sakura? Yesterday you mentioned this mission to all of us.”

He smiled as if he was having fun, a small one. It was hard to see through his mask but I could see he was amused by the way his eye seemed to light up.

“Ah, well, Naruto’s master Jiraya was coming back today to continue training him but Naruto doesn’t know. Tsunade is continuing her training with Sakura. I asked for this mission alone with you for a reason, so to gain trust among superiors before bringing the younger members in.”

It made sense that he wanted this mission, even if it pissed me off earlier that he thought we would need something so trivial as team bonding but there was a weird air between us and it was probably best to figure it out before bringing in the younger members of the team.

“Then why not tell them that?”

He gave a small laugh. It was a pleasant sound.

“I have a certain reputation to uphold with those two. I am never on time and I give information about missions at the last moment. I think of it as a throwback to when they were all genin and together.”

His voice did change when he mentioned his old genin team, but it was common knowledge that Sasuke was gone and it had ripped a hole in Team 7. It was obvious that he missed Sasuke but was also willing to atone for the loss of his student. He looked at the sky to see the position of the sun.

“I bet around this time Naruto is cursing my name and wondering when I will show up. If Jiraya doesn’t show up soon he might go a require answers from Tsunade and that might irritate her.”

I felt a little humor at the statement, it wasn’t every day that Kakashi showed a light side, even in ANBUU he was known as stern and very serious.

“So you lied to them to cause a little chaos.”

“I guess I did. It’s not every day I get to cause the Hokage a little trouble and it is very fun to rile up Naruto. I am sure that I will hear about it when I get home.”

He laughed and ran a hand through his spiky silver hair. It was obvious that he considered those kids to be a part of his shinobi family, someone he would fight tooth and nail before, to throw his own life away for. I could tell that he was so petrified at the thought of losing them. When he mentioned Sasuke he was upset but the fact Sasuke was still alive was the only difference from the past loved ones.

It was easy to see that these kids were part of the saviors he talked about. I knew he was trying to get me to see his logic and start being more human and less ANBU but that fact of the matter was that if anything happens to those kids, he would be utterly destroyed. I was absolutely broken, but you can’t break an already broken thing. The pain of losing people you cared for was something I promised to never feel again.

It took 3 days to reach the tiny cave that Kakashi said Akatsuki were seen near. I was not impressed with a criminal organization using an over-glorified hole in the wall. Kakashi wanted to go inside the cave and see if any scents can be picked up. We walked into the cave with Kakashi in front and me in the back.

I surveyed the area in front and behind me with chakra. There were no chakra signatures and with my training in ANBU, I would be able to pick up any hidden ones. Very few could conceal themselves from me. If the Akatsuki traveled in groups of two, it was very unlikely that both would be good enough at concealment.

I looked at Kakashi who had kneeled to the ground and was touching a footprint. It could be one of Akatsuki or it could be a general traveler. I saw him bite his thumb and weave some hand signs to summon what looked like dogs.

“What’s up boss?” The tiny pug said.

I jumped at the sound of a talking dog, the pug noticed me, and gave such a dull face I could tell it was unimpressed with my reaction.

“What? Never seen a talking dog before? I’m Pakkun and behind me are the rest of the boys.”

I could only stare. I have seen a lot of weird shit before but the fact that Kakashi had talking dogs as a summoning was weird enough for me.

Pakkun just rolled his eyes and looked at Kakashi. Kakashi rubbed Pakkun's ears and asked for the dogs to smell around for any familiar scents.

Pakkun and the dogs sniffed the inside, outside, and forest near the cave. Pakkun then came to my feet and sniffed around me. He then sat at my feet and looked at me like he demanded to be petted.

I kneeled down apprehensively, I still was not sure about the talking dog, but he was a dog none the less and was very cute. I rubbed the tiny ears of Pakkun.

“Hmm lady you smell nice, different than other shinobi. I can see why Kakashi views you as different.”

I looked over at my partner for the mission and saw him glare at the tiny pug. I was curious why Pakkun was deserving of such a look, I guess Kakashi talked with his dogs more than he did his friends.

“Pakkun stop acting like you never get any pets at home. Did you boys find anything?”

I swear Pakkun sighed like a human and I’m pretty sure I heard him murmur something about only working and never playing.

“We smelled Itachi and Kisame.”

Kakashi became very still. I kept scanning the area with chakra in case someone came near. These men must be bad if Kakashi became still at their names. I went up to him and stepped into his line of sight.

“Hey, are you going to be ok?”

Kakashi looked at me and nodded, obviously thinking about something.

“I’m going to look around the cave and see if I can find anything that the dogs missed. I doubt it but it is worth a try.”

Kakashi went to step outside the cave and I went to look around. I had extremely better chakra control than the average person, so I gathered enough chakra to spread around the cave in hopes of finding anything. There was not much in the cave, it was pretty bare, but what I did notice with my chakra is that at one point there were 2 strong chakra points and 8 weaker ones.

I frowned, it was strange that if the Akatsuki were as feared as they were that there were only 2 strong chakra residues and 8 weaker ones, unless they all met here but the majority of members met with corporeal bodies. It could help knowing how the members met.

I turned to face the outside of the cave to find Kakashi to tell him what I found. He would be writing the main report to turn in so best that he got all the information. As I stepped out I saw Kakashi in a battle stance with two Kunai brought out and his left eye visible.

I stared at his eye, it was the first time I really saw it and it was scarily beautiful. I followed his line of sight and saw two men in black cloaks with red clouds.

“Akatsuki” I whispered. 

One of the members also showed the same eye that Kakashi had and the other looked strangely out of water.

Kakashi then spoke and it was directed at me.

“Yokota, meet Itachi and Kisame. Members of the Akatsuki.”

The shark looking one had a bandaged sword on his back. He slowly lifted it down to point at me and showed some sharp teeth.

“Pleased to meet you, Yokota. Now explain to me why you are hanging around our cave with Kakashi the Copy Cat Ninja.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am hoping to start picking up the story a bit after this point. Obviously, the next chapter will be a fight scene and I am gonna try to do my best to give it justice. My Itachi deserves a good fight scene. 
> 
> Thank you again for reading!! I hope you enjoy it!


	7. seven

I looked at Kisame. He was one of the Akatsuki that was documented and known about. He and Itachi had a run-in with Kakashi, Asuma, Gai, and Kurenai, and the group bravely fought. Kakashi had been in the hospital after his last encounter with Itachi. I remember receiving the file on these two members after Kakashi woke up and wrote his report, Tsunade had asked all of ANBU to keep an eye out for these two members, since ANBU was in and out of the village the most. The only orders that came with keeping an eye on these Akatsuki were to only engage if they were going to attack the village, otherwise, we had flee on sight orders.

It's been a while since I’ve had a good fight to the death and Kisame looked like fun. I smiled, showing teeth this time.

I heard Kakashi say something but I didn’t hear him. I would take down one of the Akatsuki and lessen the threat to Konoha and to Naruto. I grabbed my Katana from my back and pointed it at Kisame, just like he was pointing his sword at me.

“Curiosity brought us here but now I’m curious about you,” I said smiling at Kisame.

Kisame laughed and smiled back, showing me his sharp teeth. He looked at Itachi and Itachi shrugged. “Go ahead Kisame, I know you’ve been itching for a fight. I’ll keep Kakashi out of it.”

Kisame started unrolling his sword and I saw it shudder and move like a living being.

_Definitely want to avoid that creepy thing_

“It has been a while since a pretty girl like you has been curious about me and lived, we will have to have a taste of you for sure.”

He caressed his sword and the sword seemed to purr at the touch. We both stood facing each other, waiting for some sort of signal to start. The wind was blowing around us, bringing strands of my hair to float in front of my face. I was focused. My green eyes bore into his black ones. Kisame stopped smiling at whatever he saw in my green eyes and I knew what he saw. He saw death.

It felt like it was only Kisame and me in the world. I knew Kakashi was nearby and a small part of me realized that he was still trying to ration with me, to give up this fight. I could only trust that Itachi would keep him busy enough from interfering.

The wind was starting to die down and my hair no longer floated in front of my face, as soon as it fell to my shoulders, Kisame and I launched at each other. Our swords met and it became a battle of strength. Both of our arms shook at the pressure the other was giving. Adding chakra to my arms to help push back on Kisame’s blow, I felt it get sucked up. My eyes opened in shock and I bounced back, knowing that Kisame would outlast that battle of strength.

Kisame looked at his sword and nodded as he understood. He then looked at me and smirked.

“Samehada thinks you taste delicious, like something that has aged well. Something that is old. A very interesting flavor indeed.”

I threw my katana at him to get him to stop talking, I never enjoyed talking with words during a fight, I was more communicative with my fists.

Kisame used his sword to hit mine out of the way, but as soon as he did that, I flew up in front of him and punched him in the face. He flew back and hit the trunk of a tree. Blood flowed from his mouth to his chin. I transported to where my katana was, grabbed it, and transported back in front of Kisame. Holding my katana up high, I bought it down with full strength to slice him in half. Kisame had narrowly avoided my hit, he countered by kicking me in the chest and sending me to the tree opposite.

I wheezed, trying to catch my breath, the bastard had knocked the wind out of me. I stood up as quick as I could meeting his sword with my katana. Knowing that the sword could suck chakra and leave me weak, I used my chakra to send enough electricity to shock the sword, hearing Kisame yell in pain and used the opportunity to hide in the leaves above the trunk of the tree.

Kisame and his sword were trying to shake off the electrical shock I had given them. From the trees above, I made my next move.

Balancing my katana on my hand, I quickly weaved a sign to create a shadow clone, instructing myself to jump behind Kisame and attack. I gave my clone the real katana and watched her go.

She jumped behind Kisame and swung the katana. Kisame wasn’t an idiot and knew an attack would come from behind, swinging around with his sword to meet my clone which dispersed at the force Kisame gave. As he was distracted, I jumped from the tree, landing on his shoulders and promptly sitting on his neck. I wrapped my legs around his neck and began to squeeze, to suffocate and kill him. He dropped his sword and brought both hands to my ankles to try and get me off so he could breathe. I was quick to move, using my body weight, I dropped down so that Kisame had no choice but to follow my fall or risk breaking his neck. As soon as the grass brushed my face, I teleported to where the clone had dropped the Katana and quickly, as he was still falling, thrust my sword into his heart.

Kisame’s eyes grew wide at the fact that I had bested him. I smiled and went to pull out my katana when Kisame suddenly vanished into a puddle of water. My smile was melted off my face knowing that another fucking clone had gotten the best of me.

_I hate these god damn ninja and their clones._

As I stepped back, I was met with Kisame’s front. He grabbed my neck and lifted me off the ground so high that I was kicking in the air.

“Impressive.” He said looking at me like a puzzle like a girl should not have gotten so far as to kill his clone. “Not an ordinary girl are you now? I know Samehada will enjoy eating your chakra.”

He reached out and his sword flew into his hand, the handle becoming malleable and twisting around my arm, I felt the sword absorb my chakra and ground my teeth. I didn’t have long and the only escape I could think of was to use my gift.

Using the little energy I had left, I used one hand to grab at his forearm and began to visualize pulling out his chakra and pulling it into myself. I placed the other on the handle of the sword and did the same. Pulling their chakra and my own back into my body. As I focused on the task at hand, all of Kisame’s Justus that he had learned, flowed into my body, his chakra showing me how to do them and how to master them, it was as if I was training under Kisame while stealing his Justus and chakra.

He and his sword dropped me suddenly and backed away from me. I stood in the spot where I was just held by my neck and looked at Kisame. A soft glow came around me, like moonlight, and when searching through his eyes I saw him recognize who I was.

“You.. you’re.. the Angel of Death.” He stuttered, looking at me with wide eyes.

I cocked my head at the sound of my Bingo Book name. I had no picture there and the information on me in the book held one line; that I was the most prized target in the land.

Kisame tried to back away from me, but as he was experiencing chakra exhaustion, he could only take small steps. I began to weave signs in front of him and while looking at him I smiled. His eyes got wide when he realized the signs I was weaving was from his arsenal.

“Water Style: Water Coffin!”

Water from the trees and ground came and engulfed Kisame in a black floating ball. I could hear his muffled screams and his weak punches at the coffin wall. Once the coffin was in place, I began to weave the signs that would have the coffin crush Kisame and end up killing him.

My hands began to weave the signs for Rabbit, Duck, Rat, Dragon, but before I could finish making the last hand sign, a kunai flew through the air and pierced through my hands. I screamed and fell to the ground on my knees. The kunai was launched perfectly that it was embedded in my hands, preventing me from separating them. My hands were bleeding an incredible amount and with the pain I was in, the Water Coffin dispersed.

Kisame fell out of the coffin and was laying on the ground. Itachi appeared out of nowhere and pulled Kisame to his feet, support his weight. He bent down and also grabbed Kisame’s sword. Itachi looked at me with those unnerving red eyes and I thought I saw a little smile.

“It is not every day that the Angel of Death makes an appearance and almost kills the Tailless Tailed Beast. However, I would be a bad teammate if I were to just let him die without intervening.”

Itachi went to turn before stopping. I could barely make out what he said to me due to the screaming pain in my hands but in a quiet voice he said,

“Your involvement with Kakashi will make things more difficult for the Akatsuki, and I am interested in how that turns out.”

He turned with Kisame to walk away and lifted a hand as if to wave goodbye. As Itachi was walking away, my vision began to blur and the throbbing in my hands was increasing and I fell into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I figured out I am not the greatest at fight scenes but let me know what you all think! I am starting to show more of what Yokota can do and why she was in ANBU for so long.
> 
> This story is also very loose canon, I take parts that work for me and throw out what doesn't.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has read this, it blows my mind that this little story I have has over 400 hits. Just wow, I'm at a loss for words.


	8. eight

_The leaves of the trees were dancing in the wind. The sun was peeking through the tree leaves and the light was making patterns on my face. My head was in Konodo’s lap and I smiled at the feeling of his hands playing in my hair._

_I opened my eyes to see his golden ones staring down at mine. His black, almost navy blue hair, sweeping his eyelashes. Kondo, even as a young teenager, had high cheekbones and a sharp jaw. He was popular among many girls in the village, even older women had their eyes on him. But he was here, relaxing with me. My smile grew bigger as his lips came closer to mine, tilting my head so that our lips aligned. The kiss was short and chaste, but my heart beat faster at the contact._

_Kondo pulled back and smiled at me, his lips moving but I couldn’t hear the words. What I could make out from him was three words – I love you._

_\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

I woke up gasping for air. My head was laying on something hard and when I tried to sit up a warm arm around my waist kept me in place.

“I would stay down if I were you, you sustained a huge injury and your hands will take some time to heal as I only know the basics of medical ninjutsu and first aid.”

I turned my head towards the voice to find Kakashi reading his damn porn book. He was leaning against a headboard and I realized that something hard I was laying on was his thighs while he was lounging on a bed. I closed my eyes again and pursed my lips.

“And what am I doing laying on your lap instead of the bed, Kakashi-san?”

He snapped his book shut and finally looked at me with his one visible eye, anger very prominent.

“I’ll repeat it again, you sustained a huge injury and your hands will take some time to heal.”

I could hear the restrained anger in his voice. I looked away to see how my hands were faring. They were wrapped neatly in gauze and I could still feel them throbbing. Itachi had definitely severed some tendons and nerves and it would take weeks for them to heal without a medic. I could use my gift to ask Kakashi to loan me his chakra to heal but I can’t use/take other people’s chakra so close together without putting myself at risk. I also would rather ask a complete stranger than Kakashi.

“I don’t understand why I’m still laying on your lap” I murmured.

Kakashi sighed and helped me to sit up against the pillows as he stood on the side of the bed. He had crossed his arms and was looking at me with disappointment. Avoiding his gaze I looked around and saw that I was in an inn. The walls were made of timber and there was just the bed, a chair, and a bathroom. Right across from the bed as a fireplace with a fire roaring in the hearth. It was a small room, meant to be cozy and bring people closer together, almost romantic in a sense.

My gaze went back to Kakashi and I went to ask him a question.

“Why is there only one-“

“You went against me and FOUGHT Kisame? Are you insane?”

Kakashi burst with restrained anger. His arms crossed against his chest and that’s when I realized that he was not wearing his Jonin jacket, but only the skin-tight shirt that hid nothing from view. I could see every abdominal and the muscles in his chest and arms. His biceps looked like they were trying to escape their confined binding. Kakashi’s body looked lethal. I looked away with a blush rising to my cheeks hoping that Kakashi took it as an embarrassment for him yelling at me.

“As I recall, Kakashi-san, I had about won until Itachi, who you were entertaining, threw a kunai, and stopped me. I almost took one of those Akatsuki who are hunting down your precious Naruto.” I said looking out the window, making sure Kakashi was out of my view. That didn’t last long though, as I felt his fingers grab my chin to force me to look at him, his face extremely close to mine that I could feel his cool breath on my face.

Our eyes met and I could see everything Kakashi was feeling. He was feeling anger, concern, disappointment, and I thought I saw lust in there as well but as soon as I saw it, it disappeared. I tried to pull my head back but his fingers tightened around my chin.

“Itachi held me in another genjutsu and by the time he released me, you were unconscious and unresponsive. The most interesting thing he mentioned while in the genjutsu, right before he released me, was that Kisame was having a brush with the fabled Angel of Death.” He said while his eye scanned my face.

His dark eye landed on my lips and I unconsciously licked them. With Kakashi being so close, I could smell that mint and what I imagine was the smell before a lightning storm. With him being so close it was heady and was messing with all reason.

_I wonder how his body feels on mine_

Kakashi cleared his throat and pulled back, obviously feeling something with our close proximity. It was for the best, I was more than willing to drop all reason to get out of questioning.

Kakashi stood up straight and walked towards the wall facing me. He leaned up against it and stared me down, expecting an answer. I sighed and closed my eyes. Kakashi was not going to let me move without an answer, and with my hands currently bandaged, I couldn’t do a hand sign to get out.

“I have some quirks, some people find them scary.” I shrugged.

Kakashi could not look more bored with my response. It became a staring match between the two of us and it ended with Kakashi boldly asking a question.

“Do you want to explain how you can use the Fourth’s Transportation Jutsu? And how you seem to perform it better than he?”

My chest started to feel tight. The Fourth was Hokage for such a short time but he showed so much interest in me. All Hokages were interested in the last Tsukiko, a clan that only comprised of a couple of generations. Tsukiko was fabled to be carriers of death, with their tremendous fighting ability and the ability to take and learn from stealing Chakra. Minato cared about me as an individual, not as a potential weapon of war. He would take time out of his day to visit me and to talk about life with me, and on rare occasions, we would spar.

I looked up at Kakashi, hating the fact that he was forcing information out of me.

“I fought Fourth-sama for my jonin promotion. He also wanted to witness my ability first hand, the ability to take an opponent’s chakra and be able to learn and use their Justus against them, so I obliged. I took some of his chakra while fighting and it held his Transportation Jutsu.”

I kept my eyes close but could feel the tension radiating off of Kakashi.

He asked another question, “and the Angel of Death aspect?”

Groaning, I answered him. “I have the ability to yank an entire person’s chakra out, absorbing all their Jutsus, and in turn killing them. Apparently, from those who’ve lived and been a witness, it looks like their soul is taken out of their body.”

I opened my eyes to look at Kakashi, whose one visible eye was so in shock that it was comical. As I was waiting for him to come back to Earth, I looked at my hands. The bandage was starting to become pink with blood. The wounds must of reopened again. I healed quicker than most but the drawback was that I couldn’t focus chakra on healing on myself. Some cosmic joke, the ability to take chakra and learn Jutsus, but unless I was actively in the middle of taking chakra, I could not heal quickly myself. Tsunade found it hilarious.

I turned my head to the sound of Kakashi clearing his throat. He was back to his collected self in almost no time at all. He held up one finger and then pointed it at me. “One more, you have the ability to recall all of these Justus on command?”

I stood up and walked toward him, my body moving on its own accord. I stood in front of him and placed my hands on the wall near his head. My hands protested at the pressure, but something inside of me wanted to shake his confidence that he gained so quickly after a jaw-dropping revelation. He became rigid as if expecting me to attack. I brought my lips to as close to his ear as I could get without having our bodies touch, I was tall but he was taller. A small smirk appeared on my lips as I whispered “You may be the ninja who copied over a thousand jutsus, but I am the ninja who stole over five thousand.”

I heard him catch his breath as I turned around and headed straight to the bathroom, my body feeling hot at the close contact.


	9. nine

Kakashi’s POV

When I asked the question about her being able to recall all the Justus she has stolen, I expected a grunt or some head gesture. Even a shrug. What I least expected was her to walk towards me with precise steps and bring her body close to mine. Yokota’s eyes looked at me like she was on a mission and I felt my body stiffen at her advance. Her injured hands settled by my head and just as I was about to voice my concern, her lips came close to my ear. 

Yokota made it a point to bring her body as close to mine as possible without touching. A distraction tactic I’m sure of. The bad part was that it was working. Heat flowed through my body and I gripped my biceps harder, trying not to reach out and grasp that slim waist that she kept open to display. The fact that I was on this mission and traveling with a woman who knew her body was a weapon made it difficult. Yokota had no problems showcasing her body and using it as a distraction tactic. There were several times during our journey that I would find my eye wandering over to her body without my permission. Her long blond hair, round face, and green eyes added to her beauty. I could see why she was dubbed the Angel of Death as she had many angelic features and a killer ability. I wouldn’t mind meeting my end at the hands of someone like her. 

I felt Yokota’s breath on my neck and I stiffened even more. I was strung so tight my muscles were beginning to complain. There was definitely a physical attraction between us, I was constantly checking her out and I caught her eyeing me earlier. Maybe this was something we would have to let nature take a course of, have a good roll in the sack to get it out of our system. I shook that thought out of my head as fast as it entered. It was never good when comrades slept together, especially ones that were going to be working together closely for the foreseeable future. We barely had any trust between us and I was not going to risk it for what was a surface level attraction. I doubt Yokota felt trust at all with these blanket answers she was giving me. She was answering enough but not going into depth which only spurred on my curiosity.

I heard her softly say “You may be the ninja who copied over a thousand jutsus, but I am the ninja who stole over five thousand” and my breath caught in my throat. That statement had a heat rush straight to my middle and I felt all reason leave me. It was for the best that she walked into the bathroom because I was a man with very little resolve right now. If she had stayed a second longer then there would be no telling what would have happened. I felt all the blood rush away from my head and collect lower down, leaving very little left for me to reason with. She was dangerous, damaged, strong, and was every bit my equal. I only defeated her in that impromptu spar because her mind was elsewhere. If she was solely focused on me, I would be in the hospital. 

Closing my eye, I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm my heartbeat and other parts of my body. Why am I attracted to someone who so closely reminded me of myself? The darkness that is all-consuming and using ANBU to use that darkness. The fact that she was also able to use all chakra natures was something that you didn’t see all that often, especially in a female. Usually, women got called into home life and raising children that training in all chakra natures ended. But Yokota was 28 and focused on her career. She was different compared to other female ninjas which was curious to me. She was a puzzle and one I wanted to crack. 

I could hear water running in the bathroom and was curious about how Yokota was going to manage with those bandages on her hands. Walking toward the bed, I sat down to read more of Make-out Paradise but my eyes started to feel really heavy and the day caught up to me. Being in Itachi’s genjustu again, although not as bad as the one he put me under in Konoha and carrying Yokota here while keeping an eye out for hours until she woke up had put a strain on me. It didn’t help that my body had put out so much adrenaline when she got in close contact that I could feel the crash coming fast and before I knew it, I had succumbed to sleep with Yokota still in the bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short little one before finals, I don't know if ill be updating until after finals but this one is from Kakashi's perspective so hopefully, it is good! 
> 
> I also have no beta and do very little editing myself, I apologize if grammar and context and all those other writing terms are bad.


	10. Chapter 10

Washing my face and doing my other bathroom duties was difficult with the bandages on my hands. I knew I was healing since the pain had turned into an itching. Deciding to take a look at the damage Itachi did to my hands, I unwrapped one and then the other. The palms of my hands were an angry pink with scabs. Kakashi had done his best but it would be a couple of days until I had full movement back. I opened and closed my finger, feeling discomfort, and dull pain at the movement but if I was in another fight, I could throw signs. It would hurt but I wasn’t defenseless.

Walking out of the bathroom I saw Kakashi passed out with his back against the headboard and his book laid on his chest. The man was only in his blue tight shirt and jonin pants but still had his mask and headband on. It was strange to see this man in a truly relaxed pose. I leaned against the bathroom door to take in the man in front of me.

His legs were crossed at the ankle and his head was bent, resting on his chest. His hair in the bed head messy style I knew was on purpose. I could see his one eye had a dark bag and couldn’t help but wonder when the last time he truly slept was. He probably didn’t rest until I awoke and I had no idea how long I was out for. Kakashi also mentioned being caught in Itachi’s genjutsu again and gods knew how much fighting one of those took. My eyes betrayed me as they began to lazily check out the rest of his body. His chest and abdomen were well defined as he probably spent hours upon hours training to withstand anything. In his tight shirt, I could see each individual abdominal and followed the trail to his legs which were relaxed at the moment but I knew from experience that could jump through trees for miles and miles, days upon days. His legs were defined and meant to be weapons, to incapacitate an opponent with a single kick

I felt a blush rise to my cheeks as my eyes drank in the man in front of me. I had to shake myself out of it. I was Yokota and I could scare and intimate men. For heaven’s sake, I was a badass with a threatening nickname and wasn’t going to let Kakashi Hatake turn me into a blushing schoolgirl. I had to remember everything I went through to get here, everyone I lost. Letting Kakashi in could endanger him, as everyone I ever cared for as more than as a coworker, has died. My genin team, my sensei, Kondo, my mother, teammates I got close to in ANBU, it just couldn’t happen anymore. I shook my head and remember why I was alone, I’m sure Konoha would be upset if Kakashi fell to my curse, leaving the village down one powerful protector. I was also running out of places to pierce myself, a memory of everyone I lost to carry around with me.

I walked to Kakashi and gently took the book out of his hands and covered him with the other side of the blanket so that he was covered by the top. I wouldn’t be sleeping anymore, the forced nap I took while Kakashi was carrying me to safety and watch was long enough. I felt plenty rested, and probably slept more than I did this entire week. I could repay him this kindness so that he could rest and we could get on with the mission. I rested so he gets to rest, we would be even, I would owe him nothing.

With Kakashi’s book still in my hand, I turned to the window and saw there was a little ledge for me to sit on. It would be the perfect place to keep watch of the outside and still keep my eye on the door.

I sat on the ledge and looked out to the surrounding. It had to be dusk by the way the outside world took a bluish hue. The grass was covered in frost, making the ground seem so breakable. If someone were to step on the grass, the entire ground would shatter. The trees stood still as if they were frozen too. I narrowed my eyes, how far north had Kakashi carried us to where frost was still evident on the ground till dusk? Did he take us close to another Akatsuki hideout to check it out? What about Kisame and Itachi? I wonder if they told others about me.

My mind started to spiral at all the questions. I closed my eyes and took a deep calming breath. There was nothing I could do until Kakashi woke up from his nap, I would not get my answers until he was conscious.

Remembering that his book was still in my hand, I decided to see why the man seemed so enthralled with this series. There wasn’t much to do except keep watch and I could do a lot of that by monitoring chakra signatures. It looked like Kakashi had dog-eared the page he was on before falling asleep. I opened to the page and was just floored by the page.

_…Rei was trapped by the man in front of her. His hands all over her body, taking no consideration for her clothes. He ripped them off like a man possessed and shoved his leg in between hers as an effort to become one. His member was throbbing for her. Aki brought his lips to Rei’s neck and began to nip and suck at the skin……_

I was disgusted. I only read a few sentences and all it was is the forceful domination of a woman. There was no plot and it was just word vomit on the page. Kakashi was a pervert through and through.

The little voice in my head was apparently just as much as pervert as he. 

_Imagine Kakashi at your neck with the mask off. I bet his lips feel like sin against your skin. His body pressed against you and the wall against your back. His leg sliding to separate yours. That intoxicating smell driving you forward…._

I snapped my focus back to the book and snapped the pages shut. That little voice in my head was getting really annoying and the only reason she was getting so suggestive is that it’s been a while since I gotten laid, that was it. As soon as I get back to the village, I am going to a bar and going to scratch these urges with a stranger. Nothing good will ever come to sleeping with Kakashi, he is a coworker and that is it. I just denied myself sex for too long and as soon as an attractive man comes along my hormones are everywhere. That is what it had to be.

Looking over at Kakashi, I could see that he was still asleep, and hadn’t moved from the original spot that he fell in. I raised an eyebrow, I guess the chakra exhaustion he was experiencing was pretty great. I could transfer some chakra to him since my reserves were so great from years of taking chakra from other people, but that’s something a person who cared would do. As a coworker, I knew he would be fine with some sleep. Better to leave the pervert to sleep. Plus, I could be alone with my thoughts, flirty and dirty as they were. I did not have to talk to anyone. I was alone and it suited me.

From the corner of my eye, I could see movement in the trees surrounding where Kakashi had brought us. I turned my head to fully look at the area and saw shadows move out of the tree line. Two figures stalked forward and it was their clothes that caused me to hold my breath.

Two men had walked forward, one with silver hair and a scythe with two red blades and the other with light green eyes wearing a mask, what caused me to pause was the fact that both men were wearing black cloaks with red clouds on them. As I was looking at them I could also tell that they were looking at me. The silver-haired man pointed his scythe at me with a sick smile on his face while the other had pulled out a bingo book and tapped his finger on it.

_Oh fuck…._

The Akatsuki apparently still had an interest in me and it was obvious that the man with green eyes thought of me as income. They had to bankroll their whole operation somehow and this man was the accountant and banker. It seemed Kisame had lived through the battle and became conscious enough to tell them about me. He should have been down for a week at least, trying to regain his chakra back. I doubt I was unconscious for a week, I was guessing that at most I was out for the majority of the day but until Kakashi woke up from his beauty nap there would be no way to determine that for sure.

“Kakashi-san” I said without moving my eyes from the two Akatsuki members. No response. Grinding my teeth, I was forced to think of what I could do. My hands could battle but only one of them and I would be risking dying and Kakashi’s life if the battle went poorly. Chances are that Itachi and Kisame took these two about the battle and what I was capable of. I had no idea what abilities these men had and it was a genin move to attack two strong opponents without knowing what they could truly do.

The staring contest continued. It would come down to whoever moved first. We couldn’t stay here and fight. I would have to use the Fourth’s transportation jutsu to get out of this. The problem was I had no idea how far we were from the village as Kakashi had kindly answered none of my questions and berated me with all of his. I would have to transport Kakashi too and he was a substantial man and if we were too far it would take a lot out of me and most likely cause me to pass out again. We would live to see another day and report what we had found out to Tsunade. Tsunade would not let me die and could heal my hands after doing the sign for the jutsu will most likely cause them to reopen again. Either I could fight these two from taking us as income or I could transport Kakashi to my apartment which was an unknown distance away. Either way, this was a shitty outcome for me. But the choice was an easy one to make.

I took a deep breath and flashed to Kakashi, leaving his book on the window ledge, and threw him on my shoulder staggering at the weight. I quickly threw up the hand signs for the transportation jutsu and as soon as the last sign was thrown, I heard the window break. As the jutsu took us back to my apartment, I felt something pierce my thigh.

Outsider’s POV

“Awe come on I almost got her!” Hidan said as he looked to where Yokota and Kakashi were last standing.

Kakuzu came up behind Hidan and glared at him, speaking very quietly.

“Hidan you’re an imbecile. We want her alive, the leader made that very clear. Kakashi was the one you were allowed to kill.”

Kakuzu opened his bingo book to Kakashi’s page and showed it to Hidan.

“Kakashi is worth almost 1,000,000 Ryo. He would set our coffers up for a long time. The girl, however, has caught Pain’s interest and he intends to break her and use her. He said he would explain her purpose at the next meeting.”

Kakuzu turned to jump out the window with Hidan following.

Hidan was still curious and asked Kakuzu another question.

“What should we do now that they escaped?”

Kakuzu could only look ahead as he replied.

“We continue the hunt for the tailed beasts and any opportunities for money. The Angel of Death will be caught at the next opportunity and brought to Pain. Her hunt should be easier now that we know what she looks like.”


	11. eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> instead of being a good little student, I decided to write more. And lemme tell you when inspiration strikes....
> 
> This chapter has some steam to it and hopefully, you guys enjoy it. The kudos and comments you guys leave really brighten my day.
> 
> no editing has been done so some parts may be choppy..... 
> 
> Thank you to each and every one of you that reads this. This was meant to me just a little something for me but I found AO3 and decided why the hell not. Never would I ever believe that something I write would get over 700 hits and have people wanting more. I truly am shocked.

We landed on my coffee table which shattered under the force of Kakashi and I. Kakashi had woken up during the jutsu and upon crashing on my table, had taken it upon himself to straddle me with a kunai to my throat.

I was coughing up a lung out as the distance was far greater than I could have imagined, the fact I had the wind knocked out of me by landing on my coffee table, and Kakashi squeezing the life out of me with his thighs. My first mission with Kakashi was really not turning out to be a good one.

His eye was wild, looking for the threat. He primed the kunai with electricity as he was processing the situation in front of him, his breathing hard.

“Settle down Sparky.” I managed to say while coughing, the smell of ozone very present. This was bad, my consciousness was fading and I had a man not totally in his head right above me with a kunai in hand.

Kakashi seems to take my face as not threatening and withdrew his kunai covered in lightning. I knew I was bleeding from my hands but my thigh was on fire. I brought my hand right in front of Kakashi’s face so that he could see what I was doing, in case he was still running on automatic. I shakily brought my hand to my right thigh and felt a kunai lodged and felt blood running down my thigh and covering the destroyed table. My vision was getting blurrier.

“Kakashi-san…. Hospital…”

That was all I was able to say as the darkness took me.

\------------------------------------------------

When I woke I saw a white curtain floating in the wind and the sun shining through the window. Scratchy sheets were against my skin and the smell of antiseptic was in the air. I felt the presence of a very pissed off character next to me.

Turning my head to the angry aura, I saw Tsunade standing by my bed with a mix of anger and concern on her face. Her arms were crossed and the blonde hair we shared floated with the wind.

“Hello Tsunade.”

She waved her hand in my face and swatted my nose.

“What the hell Yokota! Were you trying to ruin your hands? And why did you have a kunai in your thigh? Kakashi seemed to have no fucking clue why he was suddenly back in the Hidden Leaf after dragging your ass to a safe house after FIGHTING Kisame? DO I need to put you in a psych hold? Are you a fucking lunatic? You disobeyed your captain! And now the Akatsuki know that the Angel of Death is a Hidden Leaf ninja. It wasn’t like they had any more reason to come by with the fact the fucking nine tails also lives here!”

Tsunade continues to yell until she ran out of steam. While she was ranting, I looked at my hands. They were pale and showed no sign of injury. It looked like Tsunade treated me and repaired my hands. There were no scars and I could move each figure just fine. I would be able to make any hand sign and do any of the many jutsus I knew. My thigh still twinged a bit but would be fine to move in a few days.

Tsunade apparently wasn’t done with me as she snapped her fingers in front of my face.

“Hello, I am still talking to you!”

I bowed my head and said I was sorry. It seemed to placate her as she asked for my side of the story. I told her everything that happened from when Kakashi pass out. There was no point in arguing with her about the fight with Kisame. Tsunade knew that I was reckless in fights due to my ANBU record. I got the job done but always recklessly, not caring for my safety or the safety of my team. It was a big reason why I was sent on solo missions a lot. I did mention the information about there being about 10 members of the group and that they didn’t meet all together in person.

When it got to the point about the two members who appeared out of the woods while Kakashi was passed out Tsunande’s concern grew.

“He tapped his bingo book at you?” she said with great concern.

I looked into her golden eyes. “Yes, I’m guessing he wanted to bring my body to a collection site and collect the funds.”

She sighed “How much are you even worth now Yokota? It has to be a lot for them to come after you as fast as they did.”

I brought my hands together and lifted my fingertips to my lips. The last time I had checked was a year ago but I have taken more lives and chakra since then. The answer would most likely piss off Tsunade.

“Last year I was estimated to be worth 100 million Ryo. Could be more now, could be less.”

If Tsunade’s eyes were not firmly attached to her head I swore they would have popped out.

“100 MILLION RYO?! I COULD BUY AN ENTIRE GAMBLING HALL WITH THAT. I COULD PAY OFF ALL MY DEBTS AT ONCE AND STILL HAVE ENOUGH TO BUY A SMALL VILLAGE. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME YOKOTA!” Tsunade screamed at me.

I grimaced. I wasn’t proud of the fact that I was worth the most in the bingo book. But anonymity and my ability to pull chakra and jutsus out of a person apparently made an appealing offer.

Tsunade seemed to calm down and sighed at me before looking out the window.

“You saved Kakashi” was all she said.

I winced. I was always a lone wolf on missions, not caring about those I worked with as long as I got the results the village wanted. In ANBU, I would hear them whisper about the frigid bitch who stole people’s souls. If it came between a successful mission or a person’s life, it was always the mission for me. The fact that I did not abandon Kakashi does not change anything.

“I thought the village might be very disappointed in me if I left one of their ferocious protectors to die at the hands of a terrorist group. That would mean I would have to step up and take over and we both know how well I do with letting people in” I said.

Tsunade was unimpressed with my response.

“Yoko…” she said softly, a nickname she had given me when I was a child and she was a kunoichi killing. Clearing her throat she carried on, remembering that she was here as the Hokage and not as a family member.

“You are to rest for a couple of days. Your hands are fine, I did an amazing job as you can see. That thigh wound will need to take it easy for a couple of days. Getting it lodged deep in your thigh and then transporting to your apartment with Kakashi caused a little more damage. So rest through the weekend. I’ll have you know Kakashi is also on rest for the next couple of days and that he will be recovered from his chakra exhaustion soon.” Her eyes searching my face to see if I cared how my fellow ninja was doing, I kept my face impassive. She continued on. “On Monday, you and Kakashi will become the best of buds. The two of you will train together until more trust is established. Naruto will continue training with Jiraya for now, the skeezy bastard promised to stay until this was completed. I need my two most formidable ninja’s to work together. That means listening to Kakashi, Yokota. He has more experience in a battle setting than you and he is the leading jonin on Team 7. This means from dawn till dusk you two will be spending time together, eating together, getting to know each other. I give both of you a month to be in tune with each other so that any enemy we encounter has no chance against the two of you. Between the two of you, I think you have almost all the jutsus in the world and that can be a force to reckon with” she said with a sick smile on her face.

While Tsunade was speaking, my jaw had apparently fallen on the floor.

“Tsunade, no..”

She cut me off with a wave and said

“Uh uh uh, this is the Hokage speaking. The Hokage wants this done. You and Kakashi will be meeting Monday morning at training ground three at 6 am. Have fun and make friends.”

I clenched my teeth so hard that it was surprising they didn’t shatter.

“Hokage-sama, I hope you’re ok with losing another powerful ninja to death since my curse will most likely kill him.”

She turned to walk out and as she reached the opening of the door, she turned her head to look back at me. Her eyes had something of a glimmer of hope in them.

“Yokota, He is not Kondo or any of the others. He is stronger. He is different. He might surprise you.”

And with that, she left the room.

\----------------------------

I was discharged later that afternoon. I walked to my apartment near Hokage tower, my thigh holding up pretty well, where many single ninjas lived. It was mostly male-dominated, as many female ninjas left to start families or retired from ninja life.

I mulled over what Tsunade said to me. This next month was going to suck if Kakashi and I were going to be attached at the hip. But of course, she was right, if Kakashi and I could find some unbreakable trust and train together, we could be an unstoppable force.

The stairs proved to be more of a challenge for my thigh. It would twinge when my weight would transfer to my right leg. Injuries like this were the reason I loathed living on the top floor, five flights up.

I finally got to my apartment to see a note on my door. Not many people knew where I lived and I could only hope it was an advertisement.

_Excited to train with my new best friend_

_See you Monday_

  * _Kakashi_



Crumbling up the note, I unlocked my apartment and stepped in. When I looked at my living room, I saw that the coffee table had been removed and replaced with a new one. I narrowed my eyes and continued to wonder who had replaced and cleaned up the area. I expected to come home to a bloody mess to clean up. Something to do until Monday came around. Kakashi had to be the one who did this and for some reason, it pissed me off. We were not supposed to be all buddy-buddy until Monday. I still had the weekend to be truly myself.

A lot of mixed feelings came to gather in my chest. It was nice what Kakashi did. Could even be considered sweet. But it was a violation of privacy that he came in here and did this and that pissed me off. I was going to get him out of my system. The entire mission my mind would wonder about his body and sex and the only way this was to work on Monday was if I got Kakashi out of my head. I was going to go out, find a stranger, release some tension, and be back to normal for my new friendship with Kakashi. I was going to do what Tsunade said and build trust, but that did not mean I had to be his friend. I would keep him at arms distance while also building trust.

It was about 6 pm when I got home. That meant I had plenty of time to get ready for a one night stand. I walked to the bathroom and began the process of dolling myself up. I turned the hot water and set the shower to boiling. It was difficult to shower and not get the bandages on my thigh wet but it was doable.

When I walked out I wiped the steam off the mirror to look at what I had to work with. My face was paler than usual. Losing a lot of blood will do that but it was fixable. I didn’t have a lot of makeup but I had enough. I only used it when it was necessary for missions where I had to seduce men or women to gather information and usually it was too dark in the meeting place to warrant an entire face of makeup.

I did enough to bring color to my face by adding some blush to my cheeks. A dusting of gold eye shadow on my eyelids and some mascara to bring out the green in my eyes. A pale pink lipstick to pull the look together. I was going to look innocent but sexy enough to make a partner want to corrupt me.

The hardest part was the outfit. Usually, on the espionage missions, it was a yukata. Those were not really worn at a bar for a night of no strings attached. Looking through my clothes, it might have to be a mix of a uniform and a short skirt.

Sighing at the fact that I would most likely need to go shopping for more regular clothes as everything I owned was wither ANBU or jonin. I was married to my work.

I pulled out the black skirt and found a regular satin bra to wear. Searching through my drawers I found another mesh top. The outfit would have to do it, if I played my cards right, I wouldn’t be wearing it for long.

I went to the mirror in my room to see what I could do with my hair. It was naturally straight but coming straight from the shower, there was a little wave to it. All I did to it was brush it out. Overall, I was happy with how I came out. The bandage on my thigh paired with the short skirt said I was ninja through and through. The satin bra peeking through the mess top said I was ready for some fun. My face didn’t look half bad with the makeup. I was going to get laid tonight so there was no need for underwear.

I looked at the clock and saw that two hours had passed by. The bar near my apartment should be getting busier but still have seats available. I grabbed my wallet and gave a dirty look at my living room. Slipping on my sandals, I walked to the bar.

The bar was busier than usual. It looked like a lot of ninja had come home at the same time so people were celebrating their friends still being alive and the fact that they all get to live another day. I grabbed a seat near the end of the bar so I had the full view of the bar and a good view of potential lovers. The bartender came up to me and I ordered a bottle of sake. Kakashi would be upset at the fact I was drinking but he doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know that I have control. That morning he and I met was the first time in a long time I resorted to that behavior. Drinking on a Saturday night to have fun was in control. Kakashi could kiss my ass for all I cared.

When the bartender brought back my sake, I told him to leave a tab open and took two shots of the alcohol to get the silver-haired bastard out of my head. It was warm on the way down and I automatically felt better after consuming it.

It didn’t take long until a man was brave enough to sit on the empty stool next to me. I only had another shot of sake when a man with shoulder-length brown hair and a jonin vest sat down.

I looked over and saw that the man was quite attractive. His brown hair framed his face. He had brown eyes that were kind but held lust in them as he looked me up and down. He had a nice jawline that would be fun to nibble on later and a senbon in his mouth that he was moving around like a toothpick.

He held his hand out for me to take. “My name is Genma, is this seat taken?”

I turned the corners of my mouth up slightly to show that I was interested and was ok with him sitting next to me.

“Yokota.”

He smiled and waved the bartender over again asking for two more bottles of sake for the two of us.

“So what’s a pretty girl like you doing all alone here?” he blushed while saying.

I laughed at his typical line. He was obviously nervous but was trying his best. I could tell Genma was already a bit drunk but maybe we were both looking for some release. The bottle of sake hit me quite hard and I was probably more drunk the Genma, not eating for however long I was out, and getting medical treatment was definitely a way to be a cheap date.

“I was looking for a nice man to take me home,” I said flirtatiously, giving Genma my best bedroom eyes.

I was not one to beat around the bush, I wanted sex and I wasn’t going to spend the next hour with small talk. I was going to get what I want when I wanted it. Genma gave me a smirk and ran his eyes down my body, taking his time at my cleavage, and trying to imagine what was hidden. I turned my body so that I was more facing him, giving him a chance to see all of what I had to offer. To sweeten the deal, I leaned forward to place my hand on his thigh to further make my point.

His eyes came to meet mine. “Not one for small talk huh?”

“I come to get what I want,” I said bringing my face closer to his. I got close enough to where he thought I was going to kiss him but in reality, I got close enough to steal the senbon from his mouth with mine and played with it with my tongue while his eyes watched.

“Fuck” was all I heard him say as he watched me use his senbon as he did. Clearing his throat, he looked at our bottles.

“how about this, we finish our drinks, then go back to mine?” He said with a flirtatious smile.

“Perfect,” I said taking his senbon from my mouth and placing it back in his, my fingers trailing down his lips from his neck with my eyes following. I could tell that I was getting Genma all bothered by how he kept moving around in his seat.

I began to move my eyes from his throat so as to take another drink of sake when I noticed behind Genma a man with silver bed head hair.

_Oh you got to be kidding me_

Sitting at a table directly behind Genma was Kakashi with some other people. The most noticeable was a man in a green jumpsuit and black hair that was shiny. The man was laughing at something Kakashi said and shoving drinks into other people’s hands. Kakashi wasn’t paying any attention to the man, his eye was fully on me and I was too far away to see what emotion he was showing. The man I was trying to get out of my head was in the same bar as me.

Kakashi being in the bar only furthered my resolve that all I needed was a good lay and I wouldn’t be a sex-crazed teenager come Monday, the dirty thoughts would stop.

_But damn does he look good right now._

Kakashi had come out tonight in a skin-tight long-sleeved black shirt with a matching mask. His hair perfectly tousled and laying over his left eye. He had left the headband at home and he looks devilishly good. I could feel the wetness gather at my thighs by just looking at him.

_Fuck. My body is on high alert from him just watching me._

I felt a hand touch my thigh and was brought back to look at Genma’s handsome face. He looked concerned.

“Hey, you ok? You spaced out there for a bit”

I smiled and shook my head.

“I am sorry Genma, I was distracted by thinking what I could do to you tonight” I recovered with a sexy smirk and saw Genma’s eyes darken with lust. I brought my lips close to his ear and bit his lobe before whispering,

“Give me a couple of minutes to freshen up and I’ll be ready to go.”

Genma was ramrod straight before nodding his head. I took the rest of the bottle and finished it in one go, never letting any alcohol going to waste. I stood up and smiled at Genma, raising two fingers to let him know I’d be quick.

The bathroom wasn’t far from where Genma and I were seated. I quickly did my business and as I was washing my hands I felt a presence behind me. When I looked in the mirror I could see Kakashi standing very close to me.

“Kakashi-san this is the women’s bathroom. If you are too drunk to use the men’s then I suggest getting a male friend to help.” I said looking down and finishing washing my hands, hoping that Kakashi had just wandered into the wrong bathroom. Suddenly, Kakashi’s hands were on either side of me, holding tightly to the countertop. I stiffened at his close proximity, at the intoxicating smell of the air before a lightning storm and mint. I tried to hold my breath as I knew his smell would weaken my drunken resolve to fuck another man to get Kakashi out of my mind, and instead jump him in the ladies restroom.

“Kakashi-san, do you need me to save you again? Or was this past mission not enough for you?”

I said looking at his eye in the mirror. I had no idea what brought me to say such a comment but it had an effect on Kakashi.

The next thing my drunk brain realized was Kakashi had pushed me up against the wall near the sink and brought his head to my neck. His waist was lined up with mine and I could _feel_ how Kakashi felt about me. He was just as turned on as I was about the situation. His hands were encircling my waist and his knee had pushed my legs apart so that his knee was against the hottest part of me.

I leaned my head to rest against the wall of the bathroom and brought my hands to rest on his biceps. I was breathing hard and in turn, I could smell his intoxicating scent, which was clouding my already cloudy judgment. I could feel his breath on my neck and I melted when he put his lips on my neck and started kissing down to my shoulder. Each kiss on my neck sent heat shooting to my core and I knew if I was wearing panties that they would be soaked.

I widened my eyes when I released the lips I was feeling on my neck were not cloth covered, but soft naked lips. I took one hand off his bicep to push through his hair. Grabbing a good chunk, I tried to force his head up to mine, to kiss those lips on my own.

Kakashi was not having it. He took the hand in my hair and slammed it back to the wall with his hand circling my wrist, to make sure it would not move again. His teeth nipped at my skin in response. I moaned and grinded against Kakashi’s thigh at the feeling of being controlled and the little bit of pain from the bite.

_I guess I’ve changed my tune about domination._

“You’re insufferable, you know that Yokota? Your tiny little jabs at my abilities. The fact that you never listen to me. You walking around in that mesh top and tight pants. Then you come into this bar, wearing that shirt and this skirt, to drive me absolutely mad. We are going to have to trust each other more if we want this partnership to work, _Yokota-kun_ ”

I understood that he was talking to me, but the hand on my waist had taken a slight detour and was now on my bandaged thigh, venturing up. The feeling of his calloused hand on my skin was causing me to twitch against his knee and bring another moan out of me at the friction. Not wearing panties was now the worst idea I’ve had.

_Or the best._

I was breathing heavier at Kakashi’s hand traveling up under my skirt and his lips continuing their ministrations on my neck. His right hand still holding my hand against the wall. His thumb caressed my hip bone and then I felt him stiffen. His hand that was under my skirt disappeared and his face pulled back from my neck, his free hand pulling up his mask. He put more of his weight on me to further push me against the wall.

“Where are your panties?” he hissed.

I smirked and pushed off the wall, missing the heat of his knee against me as I walked him back to the door. He wouldn’t have me take control as he brought his hands back to my waist and pulled me against him so that we were touching all down our fronts. Both of us were practically panting at this point when we heard a knock at the ladies' room.

“Yokota, are you ok?” I heard Genma say through the door. Kakashi turned to the door and looked me up and down before vanishing in a puff of smoke. I tried to calm down my breathing as I straightened my clothes and stepped out, smiling at Genma.

“Oh, I’m sorry Genma! I got distracted in the ladies' room with the other women, you know how it goes.” I smiled and batted my eyelashes. Genma smiled and looked inside the bathroom as the door was closing and I groaned, he was going to catch me in a lie because there was never any ladies in the room with me, just an insufferable bastard I was going to beat the shit out of come Monday. I quickly grabbed his face and brought his lips to mine, making sure to take the senbon out of his mouth. Genma was taken back at first but then leaned into the kiss. His lips were soft and I could tell Genma was experienced. His lips and tongue knew what they were doing and I moaned.

  
We broke apart and I saw Genma look at my neck before looking at my face with drunk lustful eyes. I wasn’t as drunk as before, Kakashi had ruined my high, but was still tipsy enough to continue. I really needed to sleep with Genma to get that bastard out of my head and what he just did to me in the bathroom.

I took Genma’s hand and had him led the way to his apartment but not before I saw Kakashi standing near the door with one leg propped up against the wall, looking like nothing ever happened. He caught me looking and with his hand subtlety brought my attention to his thigh where a wet spot was just about the knee. Kakashi was somehow smirking through his mask and one visible eye.

_I am totally killing him come Monday._


	12. twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I took a longer break than usual. I got really bad writers block and anxiety that I went the wrong way with this story but people kept reading it. So I guess y'all like it?   
> without further ado here is the next one.

Monday came too quickly and I was still as pissed as the night at the bar.

I came home in the middle of the night Sunday after getting what I wanted from Genma. It was better to leave while he was sleeping and avoiding the awkward morning after. I got what I wanted and yet it did little to get that silver-haired bastard out of my head. Those moments in the bathroom were ingrained in my head and I am ashamed to say it might have driven some orgasms of the night.

_I am such trash, thinking of another man while sleeping with another._

I spent the entirety of Sunday after getting a couple of hours of sleep pacing my apartment. I wanted to stop by the cemetery to see some loved ones but the fact that I might see Kakashi there stopped me. I wanted to kill him but my body wanted to jump him. I had gotten a taste and he had infected me.

I knew Tsunade would be upset if I killed him but she never said I couldn’t severely injure the man. I think that is a great way to bond. Nothing like being almost killed by your fellow ninja to really get the feeling of trust flowing.

Kakashi had overstepped any boundary that was in place. I never wanted to be put in another situation like that again, at odds with my hormones. I always in control of who I reacted to. The alcohol had influenced me and while I was drinking at an appropriate time in the appropriate setting, the interaction with Kakashi was inappropriate. But he initiated it and I wanted answers. 

After pacing my apartment for what felt like for hours, I saw the sun had begun its descent and had dropped a canvas of reds and oranges. I stood in front of the window to watch the sun paint the sky, feeling relaxed watching such beauty unfold. The sun setting had always reminded me of the end of a chapter. I have seen so many of sunsets, I’ve seen them in times of war, times of peace, times of mourning, and in the rare time of happiness. It continually reminded me that no matter what occurred that day, it all reached the same end. That the sun will set and paint the world, not caring what occurred that day, if it changed someone’s life or if someone’s life ended that day. The day will always end in hues of red and orange. I took it as what was the point in changing who I was if the day was going to end in the same way anyway.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure jumping on the roofs of buildings towards me. Shifting my body to get a closer look, my eyes widened at who it was. Of course, the universe would laugh at me and have Kakashi jumping towards my apartment building, the reds, and oranges reflecting off his hair. His body moving like a weapon on the rooftops.

My blood boiled at seeing him, wanting to even the score from the bar. I continued to watch him until he flew into a window two floors below me. I was not shocked that Kakashi lived in the same building as me, us emotionally stunted ninja tended to stick around each other, not for comfort but the fact that none of us were strangers to screaming in the middle of the night.

The sun had finally set for the night and I spent the rest of the evening watching and counting the stars, basking in the familiar moonlight glow. It wasn’t until 3 in the morning that I decided to brave the nightmares and prepare for Kakashi’s ass-whooping.

\--------------

_It was pitch black. The air reeked of blood. The only sound was my entire team panting for breath. My senses were on high alert. Nori-sensei, Kondo, Kiku, and I were taking a minute to rest as sensei was trying to stop the bleeding of his abdomen. The enemy ninja had gotten the best of him as he risked his life to save his team, throwing us back from the rock spears and taking the blow. Two of them had pierced his abdomen and I never had seen so much blood._

_Kondo was keeping watch for the enemy, on the lookout in case they followed. Kiku was applying pressure to the wound that was bleeding more. Sensei’s trembling fingers were trying to bind the wounds but there was too much blood. Way too much. All I could do was stare._

_“Can’t you help him Yokota? Please help him. You gotta do something!” Kiku screamed at me._

_I couldn’t help but stare at Kiku. I don’t know what she wanted me to do. I was only just a chunin, had gotten my vest a week earlier. Sensei was dying so why was I getting yelled at? Shouldn’t we be talking softly to Sensei, letting him know it will all be ok, little white lies? Looking at sensei’s paling face and hearing his labored breaths, I placed my hand over his shaking one, taking over the wrapping that inevitably would do nothing._

_“Your mom is Yoka! The grand chakra healer! You have to have learned something from her or observed! Please try, please try anything. Sensei still has so much to teach, he has a family, please Yokota!” Kiku was just speaking gibberish at this point._

_Yoka could heal anyone from any injury. A person could be on Death’s door and Yoka would stare him down and say not yet. She has brought people back from multiple organ damage and they felt better than they did before going off to the war. Yoka had visitors from all over the world to see her cure them of diseases. She understood the chakra network of a person and diseases better than she did the written language. Yoka was based far away to help with injuries of the main war, and Sensei was not going to make the two-day journey there._

_“She has some deal with the devil for healing, I will never be at her level, and furthermore I have only seen her heal once or twice!”_

_Kiku gave me the biggest tear-soaked eyes and begged me once more. I didn’t want to be at fault if he died, but there was nothing else to be done. I was Nori-sensei’s last hope._

_The issue was that my mother never told me her secret or gave instruction, she just mentioned once in passing that her healing was all based on hunches and feelings. A whole lot to go off of._

_“I'll try” I whispered_

_“Thank you” was all Kiku said._

_I placed my hands on Sensei’s abdomen and allowed chakra to run over my hands, trying to figure out what feeling my mom was talking about. I took a deep breath in and out and tried to focus. I took a look at Sensei’s face and I saw him look at me, his eyes full of hope and he looked proud that I was trying to save him even though he knew the alternative if I failed. Sensei couldn’t speak as the blood loss was too great and every breath pained him but he still smiled at me._

_I looked back down at my hands and felt a tug, like a string was at my finger and I could reel in the string if I pulled. I focused on the string feeling and tugged, thinking this was the feeling mother felt. My hands and body started to glow, softly, like moonlight. I could hear Kiku gasp but I didn’t look up, I was too focused. Sensei’s chakra started to cover my hands and started to wind around my arms. My eyes widened as I tried to stop it but I couldn’t stop the chakra leaving Sensei’s body to my own._

_Suddenly, Sensei stopped breathing and his eyes became glassy. He was staring ahead and still had that small smile on his face. I on the other hand felt a rush of power and the knowledge of all of Sensei’s Jutsus rushed over me. I tried standing and wobbled, my skin still glowing softly._

_All that could be heard was Kiku’s cries._

_“What did you do! You killed him! You didn’t even help him at all!” Kiku screamed at me._

_My hands were shaking as I brought them up to look at them, covered in blood. But all I saw was Sensei’s chakra rushing into me and feeling his life end._

_The world came crashing in and I fell to the ground._

_\--------------_

I slowly opened my eyes, seeing the clock flash the time. It was 5:30 in the morning, I had thirty minutes to spare before meeting Kakashi for his ass beating. Rolling out of bed, I got dressed and headed out, the dream still in the recesses in my mind. It was a dream I had often, my first death because of my negligence. Trying to be something I couldn’t be had ended up killing my sensei and had distrust brew within my squad.

I touched the hoop in my ear that I received after my Sensei’s death, a reminder to try not to do what I am not created to do. Closing the door to my apartment I headed to the training field to show that copy ninja what happens when he pisses me off.

By six, I had arrived at the field and saw that I was alone. Clenching my fists and gritting my teeth, I jumped to the trees to hide, waiting for the silver bastard to show up.

I had to think of at least several plans of attack, Kakashi has proven to be a wily character. He is unpredictable and the fact that he could copy jutsus made it impossible to put him down easily. He would evade until I got tired and then put me into submission. What I had to do was get him to submit first and I definitely had a few Jutsus that could do that.

The sun was beginning to peak up more and more and I began to hope that Kakashi would not show up and I could report this team bonding bullshit as a failure. Then maybe I could go back to my solo ANBU days. But if Kakashi showed up late, then that was longer we would have to train, Tsunade was very serious that we spend the majority of each day together to get the maximum about of bonding in such a short time.

The sun was rising higher and higher and Kakashi still hadn’t shown up. I felt my anger rise the longer I was kept waiting and my fingers tingled at the possibility of strangling Kakashi. When nine am finally rolled around, I saw the silver bastard walk to the field.

I was seeing red at this point, this man had kept me waiting for an extra three hours and now I had to stay with his lazy ass until 9 pm tonight. Jumping down from the tree, I weaved the signs for an earth prison.

Kakashi soon found himself in the quicksand that sucked him down into the earth till about his waist. I walked out of the tree line to his vision.

“How nice of you to finally show up, Kakashi-san. Beginning to think you were scared to show up today after the stunt you pulled.”

Kakashi shrugged.

“Sorry for being late, I came across a lost puppy and spent hours trying to find its owner.”

I felt my eye twitch. This man wasn’t even sorry, he was lying. Kakashi looked well-rested and I knew I was beginning to look like a wild woman.

Suddenly, Kakashi in my trap disappeared in a puff of smoke. He had walked in with a shadow clone but I was expecting it and turned around and threw a kunai at a tree nearby. Kakashi jumped to avoid the kunai and landed in front of me. I grabbed another kunai from my pack and pointed it at Kakashi.

“Maa, let’s talk before training.” He said holding both his hands up.

“Oh no, we are not talking and we are not training. We are fighting and I am going to kick your ass Kakashi-san. I have several issues with you and I rather talk with my fists.”

He sighed and finally lifted up his headband so I could see the famous Sharingan. Kakashi was finally taking me seriously and will fight without evasion tactics.

“Very well. I guess you deserve this fight.”

We both got into a battle stance and waited for the other to make the first move.


	13. thirteen

Kakashi was the one to make the first move. He lunged from his position for a frontal attack but flickered to appear behind me. I had a pretty good idea of Kakashi’s fighting style, he tended to rely on shadows and substitutions until he had an almost certain idea of an opponent’s fighting style. I was certain that the Kakashi that appeared behind me was a clone, and so I threw my weight into the clone with the Kunai piercing his stomach, and as I expected, Kakashi disappeared behind me.

Closing my eyes, I tried to sense out Kakashi’s chakra, I was exhausted. I have been up for hours, I had forgotten to eat, and had spent a lot of my anger imagining different ways of skewering Kakashi for his actions at the bar. My will to only fight his clones was waning and if I wanted to defeat him and get retribution, I needed to it soon.

I weaved a handful of signs and slammed my hand on the ground. The Earth around me started moving and dogs made out of the dirt formed and started growling. Each dog was identical, all had long noses and short ears. Their eyes brown as the dirt and no fur seen. They stood in a circle around me waiting for instruction.

“Training ground only, find the man.”

With my simple instruction, they were off. I stayed in the clearing, looking out to the tree line where I had a gut feeling he was over there. Playing his taunting game of chase. In the distance, I heard the growls and barks of dogs fighting. I narrowed my eyes. Apparently, I was not the only one with dogs up my sleeve.

I rubbed my temples. Fighting Kakashi was a lot like fighting myself. We both had arsenals of jutsus and years of ANBU experience. We both had fought in war and have the scars to show it.

That was it. Kakashi and I were both ex ANBU but he has been out for years now and can’t be in the same shape as he was. ANBU was notorious for hard training and with the type of missions we were sent on, our bodies were in shape and molded to be weapons. But without training, the body fell out of the mold and he would tire faster than me. I just had to find the white-haired bastard.

As if I had summoned him myself, he appeared a good ten feet away from me. Without letting the smoke from his arrival disappear, I launched myself at Kakashi with two Kunai in hand. I swiped at his jugular, the previous rage making a comeback. There was a gut feeling that I had that this was the actual Kakashi, that he was done hiding and was ready to face the music.

He ducked and tried to swipe my feet out from under me but I jumped to get out of his way and flipped to that I was behind him. I went to stab him with a Kunai and he blocked with his own. Kakashi twisted the two Kunai so that both were falling to the ground.

Throwing my Kunai up in the sky, I threw a bunch at his side. He was distracted by the Kunai in the air and didn’t anticipate my punch. I could hear the air leave his lungs at the hit.

I jumped out of the way and before Kakashi could catch his breath, I weaved the signs for one of the many stolen fire jutsus I knew. I breathed out the fire from my belly and saw them take form into dogs. Obedient little creatures that were much scarier to fight when made of fire.

“Surround him, do not allow him to escape.”

The five fire dogs that I had made began to circle around Kakashi and sneer at him. I saw him stand up and quirk an eyebrow at me.

“Dogs of fire?”

I made no movement or made a comment. If I spoke to him again it would turn into screaming. I weaved the sign for the tiger and spoke to my creations.

“Go.”

The dogs began to take turns nipping at Kakashi’s ankles and trying to bite him in various locations. He tried his best to evade them but the dogs were an extension of myself. If he tried to jump out of the circle, the dogs would reform with him in the middle again. If they saw he was trying to move back into the safety of the trees, they would herd him back. Kakashi’s Sharingan was getting a workout today to try and find the spots where he could safely land, but my dogs were relentless. I used this rarely, as the concentration and chakra it used were great. When in ANBU, this was a great way to tire out the enemy or use it as an interrogation tactic.

The dogs began to herd Kakashi back to me after a long time of dodging and evasion. As he got closer, I saw that the binding on his ankles was torn and they were red with the burns and marks of the bites. I released the tiger hand sign and weaved the sign for 2 shadow clones, taking a page of Kakashi’s book.

Kakashi was breathing heavily and I saw the tomes in his red eye swirl, trying to pick out the real from the fakes. He brought out two Kunai and used two fingers to spin the Kunai around, neither one hitting the other. It was impressive the delicate control of his physical weapons, but what Kakashi had failed to realize was that hours before I got here, I deployed my own clone to hid in the tree and to attack when he was overwhelmed with three of us.

He threw one at a clone and dispersed it. I and the other clone began to push Kakashi back to the tree line, I knew he was thinking that if he could get to the trees then maybe he could reassess his tactic, now seeing more of my abilities. It would be a smart move if your opponent wasn’t someone who had hours to think of all the possibilities.

As soon as we got close to the tree line, The clone I had with me lunged for Kakashi but met his remaining Kunai. I stood in front of him and went to swipe his feet out of under him and when he jumped, the clone in the trees jumped on Kakashi and knocked him to the ground. I heard the audible groan from the impact to the ground. The clone made it so that Kakashi was flat on his back with his hands and feet on the ground. With him in that position, I weaved the signs for my earth prison.

Hard earth began to crawl up Kakashi’s legs and arms and hold him there. I made sure to add more dirt to harden the shell so Kakashi would not be able to move. His chest was still moving fast, I never gave the man a chance to catch his breath and I saw the skin below his eyes were flushed. Sweat was dripping from his forehead and collecting on his mask.

“Out of shape Kakashi-san?”

I couldn’t help myself. He deserved everything that he got in this fight. I was just happy that he finally decided to actually fight and stopped hiding.

He finally found his breath and glared at me. I walked a good distance away from Kakashi, enough so that he could hear me and see me but couldn’t attack me. I was pretty sure I had immobilized him but Kakashi had tricks.

“Do not ever take advantage of me again. What you did at the bar was uncalled for and was out of line. You may be lead on this so-called mission, but I expect better.”

I paused to look at him and placed my hands behind my back. He was lucky that there was cloud cover today or else the sun would bake him at his current state. I weaved the sign of the dog to call back my little dirt monsters. They all came running and made a circle around Kakashi.

“Earth dogs.” He said as he closed his eyes and turned to face the sun.

The sun began to peek out from a cloud and shine on his face, it highlighted the shape of his lips and jaw through the face mask and my curiosity began to make an appearance.

_What does he look like when he is not under that mask? What did I miss when he was kissing my neck?_

I cleared my throat and mentally kicked myself. I wrote this man off, what he did was unacceptable and he needed to be punished.

“For this to work, I expect that we should both show up at the same time Kakashi. You might have won if you hadn’t let my anger stew.”

I looked at the sky and saw that maybe an hour had passed since Kakashi had come to the field. I was also going to make him pay for making me wait.

“Since I won this fight, I no longer have a grievance with you. I have said my piece about your antics and I will expect better from you. Since the Hokage has given us no choice but to work together for the safety of the village and I am just as bound to duty as you are, I will perform what the Hokage asks.”

I began to walk away when I heard Kakashi yell out:

“Yokota! You’re forgetting that I am still trapped in your Jutsu!”

I turned my head to Kakashi, a smile pulling at my lips.

“Kakashi-san, I was here an extra three hours and I used that time to meditate and think on the state of the world. I wouldn’t be a good partner if I didn’t allow you the same. The dogs will guard you so that no one interrupts you. Also, idle hands are the devil’s plaything and we wouldn’t want you to be reading that book while focusing on meditation and thought would we?”

I could feel the death glare Kakashi was giving me. It would take a lot for me to keep the dogs formed while away and after a fight but it was necessary. With my last comment, I waved to Kakashi and started the walk home to eat and rest.


	14. fourteen

In one of the many caves the Akatsuki used, a meeting was happening. Only Pain and Konan were physically present. All others were expending chakra to attend the meeting from far off locations and were standing on the rock fingers of the Gedo Statue. Pain was sitting on the head of the precious Gedo Statue, his hands steepled as he looked at his members. He had been thinking intently about what Itachi, Kisame, Hidan, and Kakuzu had reported from their encounter with the Angel of Death.

There was not known much about her. Nothing about her lineage, her clan, or her rank. What was known was that she was a Hidden Leaf ninja and she is associated with Kakashi Hatake. A known powerful adversary who held his own against Itachi and Kisame. What interested Pain was the stories of her abilities and her run-in with four of the members. She was almost successful at killing the no tailed beast that Kisame was. Itachi reported that he saw Kisame’s “soul” leave his body and that he became powerless for days while he replenished his chakra, it would have been longer if not for that sword of his. She is able to fight for what seems like forever, never running out of chakra and having mastery of every fighting style. She is vulnerable when she is stealing chakra from others, her senses become closed on that person and she can be injured then, Itachi had found that out.

Pain brought his eyes to Kakuzu and Hidan. They had run into Itachi and Kisame and heard that the Angel of Death and Kakashi Hatake were traveling together, and would fill their coffers up for several years if turned in. They had gone to collect the payment but before they could even infiltrate the room, they saw the Angel flash away with the copy ninja back to what was assumed to be their village which was three days away by running. Very few ninjas were capable of doing that and it tended to be those who were hosts for the tailed beasts. It seemed that she had no bottom in that infinite well of chakra.

Pain was very interested in her.

“Pain what is the meaning of this? I doubt you called us all together to stare at our beautiful faces” Hidan sarcastically said.

“The Angel of Death is on the list of those to hunt.”

Sasori and Deidara had obvious looks of surprise on their faces.

“You’ve encountered the fabled Angel of Death? And lived to tell the tale?” Sasori spoke in his gravelly voice.

“She encountered Hidan, Kakuzu, Itachi, and Kisame. Kisame almost died at her hands but all four of them have witnessed some degree of her abilities. Itachi and Kisame even got her first name, Yokota.”

Kisame could be heard growling on top of his finger. Pain gave him no attention.

“And what do you plan on doing with her?” Itachi asked.

Deidara, being the problem child of the group and the slowest, began to speak:

“Is she pretty? I need more muses for my art! I’ve been saying we needed more females in the group and look at Pain delivering!”

Pain looked at him with a cold gaze in his purple eyes. He had effectively told Deidara to be quiet without saying a word.

“For those of you who haven’t had the chance to encounter her, she is…. Exactly what we need for the tailed beasts. She fights without ever worrying about running out of Chakra. She is a bottomless well when it comes to it, I hypothesize that she has been stealing chakra from those she encounters and in turn, can use their Jutsu at mastery level. She is the Leaf’s best-kept secret besides their tailed beast and based on Kisame and Itachi’s encounter with her, she fights very well.”

“When you speak of her being what we need, do you intend as a member or as something else?” Sasori asked

A small smile came across Pain’s face. He was hypothesizing a lot but based on the rumors of the abilities and once he figures out her family line, if he was right, The Angel of Death could be the perfect host for all the tailed beasts. She was able to take chakra from so many people and able to keep it in use. Having so many different types of chakra inside her had to mean that her will was forcing them to mend and mold together to be used. She might not even be aware of it but holding so many different natural chakra natures can only be done by the perfect host and an unbendable will. She would be able to hold the tailed beasts. They just had to mold her will to theirs. Having someone have control over the tailed beasts instead of a statue would make it so much easier to carry out their plans. They would bend to her will and have to listen if they want to survive their host. He still needed to prove it but there was a gut feeling involved.

“She will be the Gedo Statue.”

All members were intently watching Pain. He was the leader and had this idea, the majority of them only knew that the Gedo statue could host all tailed beasts with all their conflicting chakra. How was this fabled ninja going to be the Gedo statue?

Pain continued “Keep tracking beasts, this statue will be their prison until we have her. I need to confirm a few things but she will be the host. She is as high a priority as all the beasts. Find her and bring her alive to me.”

The entire cave heard his instruction and while two of the members have never seen the girl before, they had a name and the hunt was on.

\------------------------------

I spent the time that Kakashi was incapacitated stopping by the bakery and grabbing my regular order of bread and cheese. Nutritious I know. I just never had the time to cook, I hated crowds, and I was rarely home. It was either malnutrition or a ninja that was going to kill me and I had money placed on another ninja.

Kakashi had to be fuming at his predicament. I was staying away only to make sure that he was stuck in the training field for as long as I was. The earth dogs took a lot of concentration and chakra to keep up but as long as I didn’t fall asleep it would be fine. He deserved to be uncomfortable and annoyed for a while.

I spent the three hours eating my bread and cheese as well as reading a book on the tailed beasts. It was an S-rated book, Tsunade has loaned it to me since I was mostly kept away from the village and away from Naruto ever since the nine-tails attack. It was a new subject to me.

Once I saw the three hours were up, I made the sign of the cat and dispelled the earth dogs. I was going to be fair, I told him that he would be forced to stay for three hours and that’s all he will be forced to do. As I dispelled the dogs, their memories flowed into me. The majority of it was Kakashi grumbling about his predicament and my favorite line was _I am never pissing her off again, never again. I won’t even look at her anymore. Troublesome woman._

He did have a visitor try to help him. A man in a green bodysuit and black hair in a bowl cut. The dogs had easily chased him off as he was laughing at Kakashi’s situation.

_That’s the man who was with Kakashi at the bar. I wonder if he is a friend of Kakashi’s._

I shook my head. It didn’t matter who the man was. I was over the night of the bar. I had gotten my grievance out in the only way I knew how and while my body was still conflicted on how it felt about Kakashi’s dominance and his lips on my skin, my mind was made up. We were just comrades.

I stood up from the couch and went to try and nap. The fatigue of having that nightmare last night, being up for several hours, and fighting had taken it out of me. I could only hope that the fatigue would keep the memories at bay.

\---------------------

I must have only gotten thirty minutes of sleep. I kept tossing and turning, trying to submit to the fatigue. My body was more than willing but the demons that run through my head were relentless. It was dusk when I decided to sit on my window ledge and watch the sunset. I stopped by the bathroom to take care of my bladder and while washing my hands, I looked in the mirror.

The bags under my eyes were more pronounced. My face and upper body looked thinner, no longer being kept full by emergency food pills I used on missions. The bags looking darker as I could no longer succumb to the exhaustion of back to back missions. Being out of the ANBU was killing me.

_I’ll finally be able to see my loved ones again if this keeps up._

I continued to stare at myself and reached up to touch the many piercings that decorated my ears, one for each person I lost. More decorated my body but this is where Kondo and Sensei resided. I willed myself to cry, to feel something, but I was just numb. I had already cried all possible tears for them.

I began walking to my favorite window to watch the sunset when I heard a knock at the door. I tensed, I didn’t have any friends to know where I lived and I have plenty of enemies. I approached the door cautiously, ready to fight. What I did not expect was Kakashi to be standing at my front door with a bag of food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've usually posted once a week but with my schooling picking up it leaves me few and far opportunities to write. I have not abandoned this but just letting you all know that updating may not be as often. 
> 
> As always, kudos and comments make my day! Let me know if you enjoy this :)


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